Time and other Truths
by resainez
Summary: In Which a Time-Turner Breaks and Life gets a little more interesting. AU/AR, MWPP Era, Vaguely Cannon, OOC Snape, Character Death, Bad Dumbly, Good Moody, Language
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I Don't Own It. JK Does. Really, She Does.

Title: Time and other Truths

Summary: In Which a Time-Turner Breaks and Life gets a little more interesting.

Warnings: AU/AR, MWPP Era, Vaguely Cannon, OOC Snape, Character Death, Bad Dumbly, Good Moody, Language.

Chapter Notes: In which there is a cold dark night and a story begins.

Author Notes: Short. Very short. I will try to make future chapters longer.

**Key**

Speech : "you're my best friend notepad"

Spells : Stupefy

Thought : 'notepad hates me'

SFX : *BOOM*

Writing : Once upon a time...

Memory : ~ _"because notepad is bratty" ~_

Page Breaks: -TaoT-

* * *

The Creatures of the Forbidden Forest paused in anticipation as a black clothed figure darted across the empty grounds of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry toward the large willow tree swaying in feigned innocence at the forests edge. The figure held a scrap of aged parchment in his left hand and a goblet filled with a smoking violent green liquid in the other. He looked down at the parchment once again still unable to believe that what he was seeing was the truth. 'He's still there, damn.'

Despite the worn and aged condition of the parchment the black ink was still dark and fresh. Flowing across the top of the parchment in neat script were the words, Messer's Moony Wormtail Padfoot & Prongs Proudly Present; The Marauders' Map. And on this map was the Castle Hogwarts and her grounds along with the Village of Hogsmeade more specifically the infamous Shrieking Shack. The significances of which the man had known for years.

The man looked up at the cloudy night sky and took in a deep fortifying breath before looking down to the chalice in his right hand, a scowl marring his face. He rolled up the map slipping it into one of him many robe pockets and began to search the ground for something. A few moments later the man made a noise of triumph as he picked up a long broken tree branch for one of the forests many NON-violent trees. He returned to the willow edging towards the tree with the broken branch stretched towards it.

When the man had gotten within arms reach of the tree its many branches began to suddenly swing and thrust violently out at him. The force of its limbs guaranteed to kill any who came too close. The wind caused by the willows violence caused the mans robes to flutter giving him the look of a crow or bat in flight, but the man continued undaunted towards the thrashing willow. The tree just as suddenly stilled as was finally able to press a knot at the base of the tree with the branch he had collected earlier. The man moved toward the trunk of the willow as a portion of the tree fell away to reveal a passageway.

Upon lowering himself inside the passageway the man noticed a trail of disturbed dirt leading further down the passageway. Pulling out his wand the man quietly said Lumos lighting the tunnel with soft white light. Taking in the dirt walls and root covered ceiling the man felt a sickening rush of stale fear and remembered terror causing the light of his wand to flicker and dim over the shadowed path. Taking another deep breath the man began walking quietly down the tunnel.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I Don't Own It. JK Does. Really, She Does.

Title: Time and other Truths

Summary: In Which a Time-Turner Breaks and Life gets a little more interesting.

Warnings: AU/AR, MWPP Era, Vaguely Cannon, OOC Snape, Character Death, Bad Dumbly, Good Moody.

Chapter Notes: In which a Potions Master is annoyed.

Author Notes: a little longer this time. Will type more later.

**Key**

Speech : "you're my best friend notepad"

Spells : Stupefy

Thought : 'notepad hates me'

SFX : *BOOM*

Writing : Once upon a time...

Memory : ~ "because notepad is bratty" ~

Page Breaks: -TaoT-

* * *

Severus Snape, Professor of Potions, Potions Master of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Head of Slytherin House (and all-around hateful git of a dungeon bat; as the students called him.) was pissed-off. He leaned back in his office chair face void of all emotion as he once again cast Tempus. His impassive face briefly turned to a dissatisfied frown as he cancelled the time spell. 'Here it is already 10 nowhere to be found. Does he think I have nothing else to do but wait for him to pick-up his bloody Potion? Useless Dog' he thought venomously. 'The flea-bitten monster had been religiously punctual about taking his Wolfsbane all school year and had to choose today of all days to be three hours late.'

Severus finally allowed his emotionless mask to drop and began rubbing his temples with a grimace. Lately He had begun to developed a rather severe migraine whenever Lupin was mentioned or even thought of. The fault of which lay fully on that insufferable brat, Draco Malfoy. First the boy whined continually about the so-called damage cause to him by Hagrid's pet hippogriff, then he had to go and pull that stunt on the quidditch pitch, followed by his claim of see and now he was endlessly sniffing about trying to discover what potion his perpetually ill DADA teacher was taking.

No doubt the boy had already guessed what _illness_ constantly befell the kindly Gryffindor. But when he made such obvious insinuation about it. Severus rolled his eyes as he remembered some of Draco's _better_ attempts at coercing information out of his Head of House. ~ _"It's awful close to the full moon professor Snape, will you be taking Lupin's class again?", "Does the DADA classroom smell like wet dog or is it just me?"_ (That one had several Gryffindor agreeing; that yes, it was just him that smelt like wet dog.), and the worst yet. _"That Lupin is a regular AN-I-MAL when it comes to teaching us about DARK CREA-TURES. I wonder how he came upon all that knowledge. DO you know, Professor Snape, Sir?~ _"Bloody little kiss-arse!'

Severus really had to wonder how the dunderhead ever got into his house; NEVILLE LONGBOTTOM had more cunning than Lucius' son. Speaking of Lucius Malfoy, the man had sent a poignant letter that morning stating that his son had uncovered some rather _disturbing_ information about a certain Gryff' and had asked the Potions Professor if there was any validity to his sons claim. 'Apparently the inability to be even moderately evasive or misleading is genetic.' That alone had left the potions Master quite irritable for much of the day, and when Draco had come to his office for _help_ with his homework the boy had spent most of the last 2 hours trying unsuccessfully to get Severus to tell him what was in Lupin's cauldron. He had only just now gotten rid of the boy and wanted desperately to dispense the wolf's potion and go to bed with a strong Headache draught.

Alas it was now 10 o'clock and Lupin had yet to arrive. So it was with his temples throbbing that Severus ladled some of the _difficult-to-brew-highly-expensive-extremely-volatile _Wolfsbane Potion into a spill proof goblet putting a stasis charm over it to keep it from spoiling and left his office. Locking his office door he froze then quickly turned to glare at the head of white-blonde hair disappearing around the corner of the dungeon corridor. He double checked all of the warding on his office, classroom and private quarters before starting his trek to the DADA classroom.

Severus marched briskly up to the ground floor bypassing the grand stairway for a little used shortcut up to the 7th floor DADA rooms. As far as he knew he was the only one to use these stairs and the only one who knew about them as they were never without dust and the muted evidence of his previous journeys. Severus felt an insistent buzzing vibration from his wand and rolled his eyes. 'Draco can wait until I return to be released from whichever trap he's sprung. The boy was useless with a capital U. But who knows what Lucius taught the little hell spawn, certainly not potions!' Severus mentally growled at this reminder that regardless of whether his Slytherin showed any skill in potions he was required by his _friends _to pass the little dunder-shites. He had found his own way around his forced favoritism by giving the other houses the same equivalent amount of points and lashing out with back-handed compliments made to sound like harsh chastisements.

The Potions Master stopped on a 5th floor landing to untangling his robes from where they had begun to wrap around his legs. 'And Minerva thinks it's so easy to billow ones robes.' Severus snorted in disgust. He had spent months before he taught his first class practicing that billow, marching all around his quarters so that he would not trip or tangle himself in them while walking or running. It still happened from time to time but only when he was tired.

Severus arrived on the 7th floor just as a group of Ravenclaws were leaving (getting thrown out) of the library by a tired looking Pince. He sneered at any of the students foolish enough to make eye contact with him sending half the group of Ravenclaws scurrying down the hall while the others tried to petition Pince for more library time. With a quick nod at Irma and a stern reminder to the remaining students that curfew was only 5 minutes away he continued down the hall to the DADA Classrooms.

Staring at the heavy wooden door to Lupin's Classroom Severus had to wonder why anyone ever thought he actually WANTED to be a DADA teacher. The logic of it, if there was any, was beyond him. He'd only applied for the position once on the Dark Lords insistence. That was the year before Slughorn retired and 2 years before he was granted his position at Hogwarts. Some days Severus was positive that Dumbledore spread the rumors in order to have the other houses fear him. Not that he minded of course, children terrified that you would use them as target practice behave much better that those who only assume you will use them as potions ingredients.

Severus brought himself back to the present moment and knocked firmly on the door only to have the door fall open taking him with it. The momentum room his second knock brought him stumbling into the room and catching himself on a desk. Severus looked up at Lupin's desk with a glare expecting to find the Werewolf having a laugh at his expense but found the room empty and dark.

"Lupin?" Severus called hoping the man was just in the other room. Unfortunately only silence answered him. Looking around again ha notice a flickering light coming from under Lupin's office door. Severus stalked angrily toward the office not bothering to knock before wrenching the door open.

"Lupin! Where the hell have yo-." Severus stopped mid-rant taking in the Lupin-less room and the nearly spent candle on his desk. Looked beyond the desk to see the Wolfs personal chambers equally devoid of life. Confusing and worry gnawed at him as he searched the office for clues to its owner's location. 'Only 1 hour left until moonrise.'

His attention finally caught on a lone piece of parchment on an otherwise empty desk. 'Ah the Zonko's trinket Potter had.' he thought wondering why the werewolf actually confiscated the rude little scrap of paper when it's only use seemed to be pissing people off. But instead of Unflattering commentary the parchment now revealed its true secret, and what a secret it was! Understanding its use Severus scanned the multitude of moving dots for the elusive werewolf, but not finding him in the school he began searching other parts of the map. He didn't spot Lupin but what he did see turned his blood cold. His first thought was that he had been correct and Lupin was a TRAITOR, his second thought was that; that idiot child Harry Potter was currently in the Shrieking shack with SIRIUS BLACK!

Blind panic hit him for a moment but before he let himself give in to it and rush off after Potter andLupin who he now saw was running across the grounds in the direction of the Forbidden Forest, he looked at the group assembled inside the shack once again and promptly froze. There were in fact 5 people in the shack instead of 4. Severus knew it was impossible for the 5th person to be there but moving spasmodically between Hermione granger and Ronald weasley was none other than _Peter Pettigrew. _


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I Don't Own It. JK Does. Really, She Does.

Title: Time and other Truths

Summary: In Which a Time-Turner Breaks and Life gets a little more interesting.

Warnings: AU/AR, MWPP Era, Vaguely Cannon, OOC Snape, Character Death, Bad Dumbly, Good Moody, Language.

Chapter Notes: In which a commonly known truth is disproved.

Author Notes: I am playing with upload format b/c its fighting with me so if anything looks off please let me know! Sorry if it seems like I'm rambling about Sev's past but I felt it was necessary to do this now rather than later.

**Key**

Speech: "you're my best friend notepad"

Spells: Stupefy

Thought: 'notepad hates me'

SFX: *BOOM*

Writing: Once upon a time...

Memory: ~ _"because notepad is bratty" _~

Page Breaks: -TaoT-

The tired and worried Potions Master continued on into what felt like endless darkness only the slow incline of the path belaying his thought that this tunnel lead straight to hell. As the slope grew steeper Severus realized that the tunnel was coming to an end.

With a quiet Nox Severus was thrown in to darkness. The heat of the tunnel which he had not noticed earlier was now stifling him in his high collar robes forcing him to cast a cooling charm and loose the two top most buttons of his robe and dress shirt.

He walked the rest of the way using his fingers to follow the wall of dirt until the dirt was replaced by hard wood. Severus carefully climbed the three narrow steps that would lead him to the trapdoor, taking care that none would squeak.

He knew that he was stalling but felt little need to continue. But finally with a quiet sigh Severus mutely unlatched the door and stepped into the Shrieking Shack for the first time in almost 15 years.

The Potions Master immediately felt his heart speed-up and his pupils dilate as he observed the destroyed walls and furniture, he began to shiver as he took in the Shacks aged façade its graying flanks that still smelt of mildew and wet dog.

Severus reached into his volumous robes with shaking hands and withdrew a small vial from on of his many pockets. With his whole body trembling Severus attempted to remove the cork several times, but after many failed attempts he gave up and used his teeth to remove the seal.

He drank the entire contents in one swallow and sank to the floor as memories of a similar night so long ago played in his mind. ~_Sharp teeth. Wicked claws. Running. Screaming. Terror. The howl that tore the night air in two. The sickening realization that his friend was a monster and that said friends' dorm mate and friend had just tried to kill him_. ~

-TaoT-

Severus' head spun as the Calming Draught slowly took effect. He always hated how the things made him feel. His thoughts wandered and nothing could hold his attention for longer than a few seconds before it drifted on to something else.

He thought idly on how things had ended up this way to begin with. '_Ha_. _Terrified of a man that fears his own shadow. Oh , how far you have fallen Severus.' _Hechided himself. '_And_ _still blaming people for things that weren't even their fault. Mature Severus, real mature…and now you're talking to yourself you dunderhead. Better hope no one answers back.'_

As it was it wasn't until years after the incident that he learned Regulus had been the cause of the prank that almost ended his life, when he Imperio-ed his elder brother after overhearing the idiot talking with James Potter about Remus Lupin's _Furry Little Problem. _

On Bellatrix orders the boy had been told to find a way to alienate Severus from any NON-Slytherin friends in order to compel him to follow the Dark Lord. Unfortunately for Severus their plan worked.

First they had gone after Lily, planting seeds of doubt about Severus' allegiance. After which Avery and Rosier began to follow him where ever he went. Then they had ensured that he was seen speaking to _proper_ wizarding folk but the defining moment came on that disastrous day in 5th year when he was placed under the Imperious and called Lily that foul name.

Severus still could not understand how Regulus got away with casting an Unforgivable not once but twice within Hogwarts wards. He had been told by Dumbledore himself after he was hired that the wards would alert him to any dark magic preformed at the school. So where was Dumbledore when a few months later when Sirius Black was Imperio-ed into luring Severus to the Shrieking Shack?

-TaoT-

_~The experience alone was enough to leave the young Slytherin feeling lost and alone. Betrayed, not only by Lily and Remus but by the Headmaster who called the whole thing a prank gone astray and sent the Marauders away with a slap on the wrist and Severus with a month's detention for being out after curfew._

_After that he was easy prey for the Dark Lord and his Death-eaters who promised safety friendship and power to all who followed him. It was not even a moment after his initiation that Severus realizes his mistake. He was no killer. The thought of torture turned his stomach and the fact that he was a half-blood amongst pure-blood supremacist left him feeling even more out of place than he had at Hogwarts._

_In a moment of desperation Severus went to his former Headmaster begging for aid. But Dumbledore would hear none of it and turned him away at wand point. Fortunately Severus was able to avoid the murkier duties of being a Death-eater as the Dark Lord had need of a Potions Master. _

_So it was for his first 2 years out of Hogwarts Severus was forced to endure the pain of the Dark Lords summons, which he had been told to ignore, while he studied to attain his mastery in both Potions and Defense._

_After he attained his title of Potions Master and Defense Master he was assigned to spy on one Sybil Trelawney who came from a long line of Seers. The Dark Lord wanted her movement followed so that he could possibly capture her and have his destiny read. _

_Severus didn't put much stock in Seers and he put even less in this one. Though he'd never tell the Dark Lord so. He had spent over 3 weeks following the barmy woman from one pub to the next until she arrived at The Hog's Head Pub in Hogsmeade Village._

_It was there that she began to converse with Albus Dumbledore. He mentioned that there was an opening for a Divinations Professor, and was curious as to whether she wished to apply. Severus had rolled his eyes as the woman began shooting off random prophecies and divining the bottom of her sherry glass. But his head had shot up as the timber of her voice changed._

"_**The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, -" **_

_Severus was ecstatic. 'A way to vanquish the Dark Lord! ' He thought jubilantly 'I can be free of him at last!' _

_A ruckus near the entrance had him turning just in time to see the recently married Bellatrix Lestrange nee Black practically skipping with glee out the door. He could feel his happiness disappearing as rapidly as Bellatrix lean form. Readying himself to leave so he could report this to the Dark Lord before Bellatrix could he was surprised into stillness when the woman continued._

"…_**but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not ... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies …" **_

_Severus felt sick to his stomach and lurched toward the back of the bar 'Bellatrix already knows most of the prophecy. The Dark Lord will kill his adversary before the boy is even a year old.' _

_He stumbling blindly he tried to navigate to the Men's Room before he heaved. He struggled violently when he was intercepted and guided into a dimly lit lounge. He was pushed roughly into a chair and a cool glass was pushed into his hand Severus waved his wand over the top to be sure it was only water. _

"_It's got a bit of Calming Draught in it lad." said the stranger who had grabbed him. He took a sip with a quiet "Thank You." And set the glass aside knowing that anymore and he'd be spilling his secrets like he was high on Veritaserum. _

_When the Nausea subsided and his vision cleared He realized he was in a small private lounge, just behind the bar by the sound of it. He looked around quickly to locate the man that had helped him. _

"_That was a rather dramatic exit you made there lad." said a voice by the door. Severus turned sharply to find a severe looking old man in red Auror robe leaning casually against the exit. _

_Severus adjusted his facial expression to show embarrassment while he desperately tried to hide any thoughts related to the Dark Lord. "Sorry Sir, I had a little too much to drink, I guess." He answered sheepishly._

_The Auror looked unconvinced but moved away from the door. "Try not to make a mess of the place on your way out then lad." the Auror said. "Owners' an old friend of mine, doesn't take kindly to mess-makers if you know what I mean?"_

"_Yes Sir." Severus answered carefully, making his way to the door on unsteady legs. Just as he was passing the threshold the Auror grabbed his forearm in a powerful grip. "Names Moody,"_

"_Severus Snape." he answered back automatically; horrified that this Auror might know what he was. "Just so you know lad Light and Dark ain't always as clear cut as people make 'em out to be, depends on what you use 'em towards." With that Severus was released and he fled the pub apparating before the door even shut.~_


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I Don't Own It. JK Does. Really, She Does.

Title: Time and other Truths

Summary: In Which a Time-Turner Breaks and Life gets a little more interesting.

Warnings: AU/AR, MWPP Era, Vaguely Cannon, OOC Snape, Character Death, Bad Dumbly, Good Moody, Language.

Chapter Notes: In which more of Severus' past is revealed and a revelation waits to be made.

Author Notes: Had to split the last chapter in two. This turned out waaaaaay longer than I thought it would. The original chapter I wrote was less than a page long and now it's over 4 pages and two chapters long.

**Key**

Speech: "you're my best friend notepad"

Spells: Stupefy

Thought: 'notepad hates me'

SFX: *BOOM*

Writing: Once upon a time...

Memory: ~ _"because notepad is bratty" _~

Page Breaks: -TaoT-

_~Severus had been unable to reach the Dark Lord before Bellatrix did and was punished not only for his tardiness but for not being the one to gift the Dark Lord with the information. Not even a week had pasted before Lucius Malfoy brought the names of the only two wizards to be born in July to their Master._

"_The Potters and the Longbottoms? Well done Lucius. Now bring me all the information you can on both families." Severus nearly cried out in rage. 'Why! Why Lily! Why did she have to suffer for his carelessness? And Frank. The only one who ever tried to stop the Marauders from bulling him.'_

_Several days later he once again, turned to Dumbledore in desperation. Begging and pleading with him to save the Potters' and Longbottoms'. He had been so desperate to get the man to help that Dumbledore finally explained that he planned to draw the Dark Lord out using the families as bait. Appalled by this so-called Champion of Light Severus once again fled Hogwarts without hope for the future. _

_That night Dumbledore thought he had Obliviated Severus' memories of the conversation and the prophecy, but it had failed. Unsure of what to do and with time running out Severus remembered the words of the old Auror Moody and rushed to the Ministry._

_-TaoT-_

_Alastor Moody or Mad-eye Moody as many called him interrogated Severus for over a week before he believed him. The Man spent hours chastising the young man for being so stupid as to fall in with the Dark Lord. But thankfully the day after his story cleared James Potter and Frank Longbottom were brought into his cell to hear the prophecy. _

_As theirs' were the only two families expecting boys at the end of July Severus had been told that the Dark Lord planned to kill both children just to be sure. When Severus got around to telling them who else heard the prophecy both men had accused him of lying._

_Severus explained how he had gone to Dumbledore at 17 seeking asylum and again just before he came here. This time asking the old man to hide both men's families and warn him about the spy in their midst, only to be turned away both times._

_He nervously continued telling them how the Dark Lord was aware of their Order of the Phoenix and had already planted a spy in their ranks, one that Dumbledore apparently already knew of. He continued on explaining how Dumbledore had Obliviated the seer and admitted that he planned to use the Potters' and Longbottoms' as bait to draw out the Dark Lord._

_Moody verified the truth of everything he said making both men swear a Wizards Oath to keep where they got the information from a secret. "Potter, don't tell Lily you saw me. Please." Severus asked still worried of what his oldest friend thought of him. James only nodded. leaving the cell so that he could begin to prepare his family to go into hiding._

_The next few days Moody came to his cell every morning, teaching him reliable and untraceable ways to communicate and pass on information. Both men knew it was only a matter of time before he was returned to the Dark Lords side and Severus planned to do all he could to bring the mad man down. _

_Moody had a big laugh the day he told Severus that his mind had been wide open the whole time he was at the pub, and the old Auror had known from the start that Severus wanted nothing to do with the Dark Lord. But he wanted Severus to come to him on his own. So he had let the boy go. _

_Now though he was teaching Severus how to close his mind and keep it closed with a technique called Occulmency. He was taught how to plant false memories and manipulate everything a Legitimens (someone who attacks the mind of another) can see. _

_One day a young man a little older than Severus came to his cell, the man was wearing the bright yellow robes of an Auror trainee. "I am Trainee Shacklebolt. Instructor Moody said to give this to you, as you will be released today. Good day Mr. Snape." _

_The man left and Severus look down at the package that had been left for him. Inside of the hat-box sized container were the robes he wore the day he turned himself in as well as his wand and the rest of his personal effects, but at the bottom of the box was a small journal and an eagle feather quill as well as a small muggle coin strung on a chain with the words "In Temperance is Victory " carved into it._

_That same day Lucius came to release him from his cells walking him straight out of the Ministry and into a rather painful series of Crucio curses courtesy of the Dark Lord. Severus was able to put his new skills in Occulmency to the test almost immediately following his arrival as the Dark Lord probed his mind to see if he had revealed any of their secrets. _

_He conjured false images of getting interrogated and tortured in stony silence by cruel faced Auror then getting released thanks to Lucius Fathers connections. He also created a few pre-planned memories of overhearing Aurors discussing the Order of the Phoenix and how they held their meetings at Hogwarts as well as the fact that the DADA professorship at Hogwarts was currently vacant. _

_Having a spy positioned in the school would be an asset to the Dark Lord but it would also make it easier for him to pass information on the Dark Lords movements on to Alastor and the other Aurors. The Dark Lord took the bait and sent Severus to Hogwarts to apply for the position of DADA teacher the very next day. As Severus expected Dumbledore did not even review his application before denying him the position. _

_On his way off the grounds he ran into his old Head of House and Potions Instructor Horace Slughorn. "Why hello my boy, Simon, was it?" Severus girt his teeth. He was never apart of old Sluggy's Slug Club (By personal choice; of course.) but the man could at least admit to not remembering him. "Severus." He muttered increasing his gait in order to avoid any further conversation._

"_Oh yes, Eileen Prince's son. Excellent in potions she was, turned down my Slug Club too. I'll have you know." the man continued easily keeping pace with Severus' near run. "What brought you to Hogwarts today my boy?"_

"_Getting turned down for a job" Severus shrugs hoping that by pointing out that he had been refused employment that the old collector would let him be on his way. _

"_Well that's utter rubbish! You just come back here same time next week. I'm holding interviews for a new potions professor. Can't keep teaching forever you know. I'll even put in a good word for you with the staff. You'll see boy. What ever Sluggy want Sluggy gets and I believe you are the only Potions Master in the country right now aside from me that old bumblebee would be a fool to dismiss you again under such circumstances."_

_Severus just stopped and blinked at the manipulative old Slytherin. "If I didn't know better I'd think you were doing something nice with nothing to gain from it sir?" He questioned cautiously. 'I don't know whose side he's on so I can't be sure this isn't a trap.'_

"_It's a good thing you know better then." He said turning to make his way back to the castle. "That Alastors' got a mean right hook be sure to not tick him off boy!" Slughorn shouted before entering the castle._

_Severus breathed a sigh of relief. He would get his job at Hogwarts and it would actually be doing something he loved. Alastor must have known Dumbledore would refuse him so he set up a back-up plan. How positively Slytherin of the man. 'I never did ask him what house he was sorted into…' Severus mused as he apperated to the designated meeting place the Dark Lord had given him._

_-TaoT-_

_While he was punish for not obtaining the DADA job he was congratulated for acquiring the Potions professor position instead. The Dark Lord had him stay behind after the meeting and called him to his private rooms._

"_I am pleased with you Ssseveruss." He started circling the lone chair in the room before sitting down. "I have another missssion for you Ssseveruss." he continued. "Anything for you My Lord." He answered calmly while inside he gagged._

"_I want you to infiltrate the Order of the Phoenix. Proclaim that you have fled from the dark and seek only salvation in the light. That old fool Dumbledore is sure to take you in as his own little pet project." Severus showed the required revulsion on his face before bowing low to kiss the hem of the Dark Lords robes. "As you command, My Lord."~_


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I Don't Own It. JK Does. Really, She Does.

Title: Time and other Truths

Summary: In Which a Time-Turner Breaks and Life gets a little more interesting.

Warnings: AU/AR, MWPP Era, Vaguely Cannon, OOC Snape, Character Death, Bad Dumbly, Good Moody, Language.

Chapter Notes: In which the memory is finally ended and a revelation is finally made.

Author Notes: Wow, oops this is like its own little epic here. FYI - Just so you know; this entire memory scene is occurring in the 10-15 minutes it takes the Calming Draught to fully absorb. FYI x2 - I might have made Severus a little allergic to the Calming Draught, thus his strange reaction to it.

**Key**

Speech: "you're my best friend notepad"

Spells: Stupefy

Thought: 'notepad hates me'

SFX: *BOOM*

Writing: Once upon a time...

Memory: ~ _"because notepad is bratty" _~

Page Breaks: -TaoT-

_`Severus and Alastor had come up with a way to get him into the Order of the Phoenix with the reluctant help of both James and the involved Hogwarts Staff via the journal he had been giving. He had learned that the journal copied whatever he wrote to another journal in Alastor's possession when he had used it to write a grocery list and had discovered an unfamiliar script scratching off all his treats only to proclaim that he needed to eat more healthy foods._

_The plan was quite simple really. Severus would be informed via owl of the next Order meeting, he was to enter unannounced and proclaim his desire to aid the Light. Alastor would side with Dumbledore to keep him in the dark while James and the Staff (which included: Minerva McGonagall, Irma Pince, Rubeus Hagrid, Filius Flitwick, Poppy Pomfrey, and Pomona Sprout.) would say that they should give Severus a chance. _

_The members should be equally divided this way. But the few Auror planted about the gathering should put the majority in his favor. Obviously he would not be allowed in many of the meetings until he was more trusted but that was what Alastor was for they would compile list of information to take to the Dark Lord as well as what information to deliver to the Order._

_The plan went off without a hitch and Severus was grudgingly welcomed to the Order of the Phoenix. In some cases *cough* Sirius Black *cough* more grudgingly than others. Yet it was only his first meeting and Severus was dismayed to learn that Potter and Frank Longbottom still trusted Albus, as he now asked/demanded to be called, enough to have him cast the Fidelius Charm on their families._

_They had claimed to learn of the Dark Lords plans for them thru a Death-eater that had recently been captured and interrogated. They chose the name of a Death-eater who had already received the kissed incase Dumbledore got curious about where the information came from. 'Whole bloody lot of good it does you to have yourselves hidden by the guy that wants to use you as bait!' He thought sourly as he listened with half an ear to the members of the order arguing over who would be the best Secret Keeper._

_An hour and a half later the meeting was dismissed and Severus was left thoughtful as he realized that the order suspected Remus Lupin of being the spy. A fact which was made transparent when they scheduled the ceremony to take place the night of the next full moon. 'If Lupin is working for the Dark Lord than I'm a fucking ballerina.' He thought viciously as he watched the Marauders snub their most loyal friend._

"_That can be arranged you know, lad" whispered a voice behind him. "Stay out of my head you old relic." Severus answered back just as quiet. It was at that point that he saw Lily, heavy with child and more radiant then he remembered. The memory of her easy dismissal of him back in 5th__ year had him turning and walking away as she tried to catch his eye. He made his way quickly to the rooms he was staying in while he was learning his responsibilities from Slughorn._

_Everything after that night came at him so quickly Severus was shocked when he stood before the rubble of what was once Godric Hollow. "It was that bastard Black! He betrayed us all!" Alastor spat hobbling angrily in circles. "What of the son, Alastor? I heard he was-" Severus chocked back the sobs that threatened to break free. "-the only survivor."_

"_Ay. Hagrid took the little tyke on Albus' orders to some relative or another. I never did hear what they called him, did you?"_

"_They called him Harry. Harry Potter." ~_

-TaoT-

As the Calming Draught finally took full effect the memories receded along with his headache and a sense of utter calm surrounded him. Severus felt this was the clearest his mind had been for several days. He allowed his mind to focus on what had been bothering him since he left Lupin's office.

'If Peter Pettigrew survived Blacks attack on the street that day then why hadn't he revealed himself to be alive after Black was taken to Azkaban? 'Similarly why hide in the first place?

'The Dark Lord had no interest in friends of Potter's; only the child.'

'Unless…Perhaps Black was NEVER the Secret Keeper! No one not even Lupin would suspect Pettigrew of being charged with such a huge responsibility; not even the Dark Lord…'

Suddenly and with the force to knock a slightly hysterical laugh out of him Severus realized the truth. The Rat. Ronald Weasley owned a rat. That if he remembered correctly was previously owned by Percy Weasley. No rat, even a magical one can live for that long. He tired to picture the thing in his mind, graying brown fur and disgustingly greasy little thing (that put Severus to shame even at his greasiest) with a missing finger on his front paw….

The only thing left of Pettigrew after the explosion was his…finger. 'Damn!'

Now even more details were falling into place. The Dark Lords spy never attended meetings in human form; he was always in his animagus form. A small brown creature hidden in the shadows of the Dark Lords chair. 'IT WAS A RAT!'

A fire burned in Severus like it hadn't since Lily's murder. 'It was all that rats fault! HE'S the one that betrayed us all!'

His best friend was dead, his mentor disfigured, a somewhat innocent man has spent the last 12 years in the worst place imaginable and add to that the fact that Severus himself was now tied to **TWO megalomaniac, and was ultimately charged with watching over a kid with a sever danger complex and a suicidal streak a mile wide! This was all the fault of that stupid RAT! 'Pettigrew will pay for this!' Severus thought, already imagining all the spells he would cast on the cowardly traitor.**


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I Don't Own It. JK Does. Really, She Does.

Title: Time and other Truths

Summary: In Which a Time-Turner Breaks and Life gets a little more interesting.

Warnings: AU/AR, MWPP Era, Vaguely Cannon, OOC Snape, Character Death, Bad Dumbly, Good Moody, Language.

Chapter Notes: In which a traitor is revealed and someone gets smacked, a lot.

Author Notes: Alright well it looks like 4 pages in word processor isn't nearly as impressive on so I will try to extend to next few chapters. I would like to thank **Luiz4200** for being my first reviewer for this story.

**Key**

Speech: "you're my best friend notepad"

Spells: Stupefy

Thought: 'notepad hates me'

SFX: *BOOM*

Writing: Once upon a time...

Memory: ~ _"because notepad is bratty" _~

Page Breaks: -TaoT-

Severus slammed his fist down on to the dusty floor angry at himself for missing all the signs that Black was innocent (Of this at least.) and damning himself for never noticing that Pettigrew's mother continually became ill during the times the Dark Lord called his followers.

Still sitting on the floor he leaned back against the wall the trapdoor was on. He could see no one on this floor but there were still two more floors to search. In frustration he threw his head back smashing his skull into the wall by accident.

*CRACK*

Severus leapt to his feet at the sound cursing his stupidity as he moved into the shadows of the staircase before Black, Lupin, or even Pettigrew could come to investigate. He waited with baited breathe for the sound of footsteps. Fingering his wand in anticipation of a duel.

It wasn't until his heart ceased pounding in his ears that he heard the muffled sound of raised voices belonging to Potter and Black from the room at the top of the first landing. Edging closer to the stairs he strained his ears to hear what was being said but with the door shut it was next to impossible.

Reaching into yet another of his robe pockets he removed a strange looking device. It was a muggle ear phone attached to what looked like a flesh colored sponge by a long bright red wire. He had _confiscated_ it from the Weasley twins after their last detention/experimentation session with him. It still had a few problems, (like randomly exploding) but the preliminary version of the Weasley's Extendable Ear was about to get its first field test.

Placing the flesh colored sponge on the step above his head he watched in mild disgust and amusement as it climbed up the remaining steps and slipped under the door. 'Perhaps I should help them with the ear transfiguration? Then again I don't think that will make it any less creepy. Ew. At the very least it doesn't necessarily **have to be EAR-shaped!'**

**Severus put the headphone to his ear in time to hear potter yell. "PROVE IT! WHAT PROOF CAN YOU GIVE ME THAT YOU WEREN'T THE ONE TO BETRAY MY PARENTS! TELL ME!" It appeared Severus had missed Black's explanation. But what ever it had been it didn't seem as though Potter was buying it.**

**Severus pulled the receiver away with a cringe. 'Volume-Control needs some work as well…' He returned the piece to his ear and heard the rasping voice of Black, hardly recognizable from his once smooth tenor say. "Bring him to me Moony, I'll do it myself."**

'**Him? Him who? Did Black really mean to kill Potter?' He readied himself to charge up the stairs when the gentle voice of Lupin answered him "Of course Padfoot, let us see our old friend once again." **

'**Ah ha! The rat. I should have known. Lupin would never allow Potter's death. He's as devoted to the brat as he was to the boy's father.'**

"**Hey what are you doing to my pet! Don't touch him you monster!" Shouted the pain filled voice of the youngest Weasley boy. **

"**Calm down Ron. If Scabbers is a normal rat then the animagi revealing spell won't harm him at all." Calmed the Granger girl. Severus twitched.**

'**How does Granger know the effects of a spell only taught to Aurors?' Severus thought in annoyance. 'Seriously the girl is wasting potential stuck in Gryffindor.'**

"**Shut up Hermione! This is all your fault you should have just controlled your bloody cat and if you had just told us before that Professor Lupin was a werewolf, none of this would have happened!"**

**There was a long moment of dumbfounded silence where Severus wondered if the red-head would survive the night and what the young girl's response would be to such an illogical proclamation.**

***SMACK***

**For a few moments Severus thought that Miss Granger had struck young Mr. Weasley. Having never heard of when she had punched Draco Malfoy, he was surprised the girl had it in her. "Oi!" Shouted an indignant Ron Weasley. "Harry! Mate, What the blood hell was that for?"**

**Severus choked coughing into his sleeve to avoid laughing aloud. 'the boy really is hopeless.' he thought as four snorts of amusement followed the boys confused exclamation. "Ron, that was possibly the stupidest thing you've ever said." Stated Potter, sounding more tired and annoyed than amused.**

"**What does the fact that Professor Lupin is a werewolf have to do with Scabbers being and Animagi!" There was another moment of dumbstruck silence before the irrational red-head stuttered out; "Ye-yeah, w-we-well HE!" Here Severus assumed Weasley was pointing at either Lupin or Black. "Broke my leg!"**

***SMACK***

"**Harry!" Shouted Granger sounding angry. "Ron's injured!"**

***SMACK***

"**Hermione! That hurt." Whined Potter, obviously the victim of the second hit.**

"**Sirius Black! Apologize to Ron for breaking his leg!" The only female in the room demanded. "NOW!" she growled. Striking fear into the hearts of all the males present in a way that only women seem capable of. A light tap and a small displacement of dust indicated that the girl had just stamped her foot like a 5 year old, possibly cancelling out any of the fear she had just created.**

"**Uh…sorry I broke your leg…Ron?" Sirius said questioningly. "Good." Granger barked harshly before turning to Weasley. "There! Now quit stalling and hand over the rat!" She commanded. "But he's a werewolf! What if he eats him?" The dunderhead whined. "Wait!" He yelped probably fending off another smacking. **

"**Oh come on Ron, you act like you didn't know." There was a pause before Potter continued. "You mean you didn't notice!" Said the incredulous teen. "I figured it out after Snape-'Professor Snape, Potter. That's 10 from Gryffindor for Disrespect!'- gave that class on werewolves."**

"**I figured it out after the Boggart." Granger stated calmly. "Seriously Ron even Snape- 'Gah! Damn you Potter! 10 more points!' -knew! He implied the entire lesson that the information from the book was complete rubbish! I mean look at Professor Lupin. Does he act like a wild animal? Is he uncivilized? Illiterate? Unnecessarily violent? No, he's not!" Potter finish with a huff. 'Well at least someone was paying attention. Shame that it had to be Potter though…'**

**The silence that followed was broken only by the frantic squeaks of the rat. "Petrify him Moony." gruffed Black. And a quietly said Petrificus Totalus silenced the creature. Black began the incantation, Latin rumbling almost inaudibly from his lips. 'The bastard always was good at lifting and setting enchantments.' Severus concluded reluctantly.**

**The whole house appeared to freeze as a heavy *THUMP* sounded from the second floor. Finite Incantatum Black whispered barely audible to the Extendable Ear. Severus clenched his hands into fists as he heard frantic shuffling and shouts of surprise from the room above.**

"**Sirius… Remus… my old friends." cried a high-pitched nasal voice that could only belong to Pettigrew. "I'm so happy to see you…" Severus ground his teeth together in anger. Hearing the simpering voice of that traitor made him want to go up there and just Avada Kedavra the bastard.**

**Two animalistic growls were all the answer Pettigrew received. The sound sent shivers down Severus' body causing tremors in his arms and legs. 'Time for another Calming Draught.' he thought frantically the earlier hysteria beginning again. Severus quickly swallowed another vial of the bitter tasting potion, surprised when this one worked faster than the first one.**

**Two small mewls of fear sounded from farther in the room where he assumed the children were. "Little boy you will save me. I was your pet. I was a good pet wasn't I? These two are murderers you have to help me!" Pettigrew pleaded with his former owner.**

"**Ugh!" The Weasley boy moaned in pain. "GET OFF HIM!" Potter shouted followed by another *THUMP* "Harry! Sweet, kind Harry! Sirius killed your parents and now he wants to kill me! Your father was my friend, he would protect me! Please!" the rat begged.**

"**You only care about yourself." Potter said flatly. "You DID betray my family! It's because of you that they died." Potter finished with a whisper. "Time to die Wormy." Black announced in a cheerfully malicious tone of voice. The floorboards creaked as someone moved slowly across the room. **

"**NO! Don't Padfoot! NO! You know no one goes up against the Dark Lord and lives. I had no choice but to join him!" *BANG* The sound of someone crashing into the wall near the door cut off Pettigrew's whining. "You should've died then. As we would have for you." The convict answered calmly.**

"**WAIT!" Potter shouted.**

**The Potions Master rolled his eyes in exasperation. 'A masterful display of Gryffindor stupidity.' Cursing the boys Hero Complex. "Wha-what do you mean Harry? This guy betrayed your parents to Voldemort!" Black said weakly in confusion. Severus internally cringed.**

"**I know. But shouldn't we keep him alive in order to prove your innocence?" Potter answered logically. '5 points to Gryffindor for actually using your brain.' Severus thought in mordant amusement. There was a small cough that sounded like it came from Lupin. "He does have a very good point Padfoot."**

**The upper floor was suddenly alive with noise as several crashes sounded and the sound of a struggle made its way to the man spying below. Black let out a pained grunt then shouted. "NO! Moony stop him!"**

**The sound of hurried footfalls came closer to the door and the Extendable Ear until Severus heard a *CRUNCH* followed by an ear-splitting screech from the earphone. He quickly pulled the device away scowling up in the direction of whoever stepped on it.**

***KA-BOOM***

**Severus sighed. 'Yup, still explodes. The boys would have been proud of that one though.' He pushed off the wall preparing to stop Pettigrew if he got pass those upstairs but was forced to quickly latch back onto it as the room spun madly.**

"**What in the world?" He muttered as wave after wave of dizziness washed over him. 'Not even a full dose should affect me this badly.' He thought, concluding that the dizziness was due to the potion he just took. He grabbed the vial he had just drunk from the floor and read the label in horror. 'Sleeping Draught, Damn. How could I be so stupid?'**

**Severus threw himself from the wall once again and stumbled until he stood unsteadily at the foot of the stairs. Faster than lightning a large ball of dirty rags barreled into him, sending both crashing to the floor. Dizzy from the fall as well as the potion Severus watched the bundle of rags shift and stand revealing itself to be Pettigrew.**

**Severus dazedly searched for his wand thrusting it at the portly man from his position on the floor. Stupefy He slurred before slowly getting to his feet. He mumbled a powerful binding spell as well as a spell to stop Animagi transformations feeling nauseous and swaying as another wave of dizziness spun the room.**

**It was getting harder and harder to fight off the potions effects but he had to be sure the rat did not escape a second time. His darkening vision caught on a shiny bit of metal reflecting the radioactive glow of an active potion. 'The Wolfsbane!' He remembered with a jolt and far less worry than he thought he should feel. **

"**Snivellus?" a voice asked in shock from the head of the stairs. He turned slowly towards the voice thinking it sounded as though the person or himself were swimming in cotton wool. He stumbled over his robes in the process of completing the turn a slightly hysterical laugh hiccupping from his mouth. **

"**Black." he greeted cordially with a rather over done bow that had him tumbling into the stair rail. Several eyebrows rose at the bemused grin on the drugged Potion Masters face. And three very horrified *cough* amused *cough* students tried to commit the experience to memory before their professor got his act together.**

"**Severus? Are you alright? What are you doing here?" Questioned Lupin as he pushed pass Black and Potter to get down the stairs. "Lupin!" Severus cried joyfully upon realizing the man was directly in front of him. Several laughs were choked back as Lupin answer nervously, "Severus? Are you well?"**

**The Potions Master observed the wolf critically before pointing at him. "YOU! Take your bloody potion before you kill us all." He giggled with drunken triumph. "and take out the trash." he continued indicating Pettigrew bond form.**

**Unable to fight off the sleeping draughts effects any longer Severus' vision swam in and out of focus until with a surprisingly light *THUMP* he collapsed to the ground unconscious.**


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I Don't Own It. JK Does. Really, She Does.

Title: Time and other Truths

Summary: In Which a Time-Turner Breaks and Life gets a little more interesting.

Warnings: AU/AR, MWPP Era, Vaguely Cannon, OOC Snape, Character Death, Bad Dumbly, Good Moody, Language.

Chapter Notes: In which a danger is averted and Sirius is confused.

Author Notes: This chapter is the start of Sirius POV. I know I made it so that Remus took his potion around 11pm but I always figured he transformed when the moon was at its highest. I probably shouldn't call it moonrise; it's more like high moon or something. I know in cannon the 'Mudblood Incident' happened after OWLs but for the sake of my storyline it happened during the beginning of 5th year and the 'Shrieking Shack Incident' occurred in 5th year after OWLs instead of 6th year.

**Key**

Speech: "you're my best friend notepad"

Spells: Stupefy

Thought: 'notepad hates me'

SFX: *BOOM*

Writing: Once upon a time...

Memory: ~ _"because notepad is bratty" _~

Page Breaks: -TaoT-

At the top of the stairs an escaped convict by the name of Sirius Black looked down on the crumpled form of his once favorite bullying target in faint interest. "What the hell…" He asked blankly, too tired to articulate more on the strange behavior of Snivellus. 'What is he even doing here?'

"Oh dear!" Lupin finally said, after he had been staring mutely at the unconscious men on the floor for several minutes. He rushed over to a goblet on the floor by the whomping willow entrance and quickly swallowed the glowing green sludge.

"Moons, what did you just drink?" Sirius asked, appalled that Remus would so readily drink something given to him by Sniveling Severus Snape. He understood that Snape and Remus had been friends in school but the man was a Slytherin. 'I mean he had become a Death-eater. How much more untrustworthy can you get?'

"It was Wolfsbane Potion, Sirius. Severus has been making it for me since I started teaching this year." Sirius was confused as to why Remus would willingly poison himself. "But isn't wolfs bane poisonous to werewolves?" Sirius cried desperately.

"Oh yes, I forgot you didn't know. There is a potion called Wolfsbane. Taking it allows me to keep my human mind after I transform. It's extremely difficult to brew and highly expensive, Severus is the only one the Headmaster knows who can brew it. On top of that Severus improved the recipe so that it also lessens the pain during my transformation. It's been a lifesaver these last few months."

Sirius was floored. 'Little whiny Snivellus can do something like that?' He turned to look at the unconscious Slytherin once again only to see Harry gently turning the man onto his back and mopping at a small gash on the man's forehead with a bit of cloth. 'Et tu, Harry?' Thought the dog animagus feeling betrayed, as it seemed that people actually _liked_ Snivellus now.

"But why is Sniv here? Is it just to make your potion?" Remus looked away getting ready for the explosion he knew was coming. "Severus is the Potions Professor and Head of Slytherin House, has been for the last 13 years."

"What! Someone actually let him near children? But he's a Dea-" A vitriolic glare from Remus silenced him quicker than any charm could and left him curious as to when the world had gone crazy. 'Me in Prison and Evil Little Snivellus a teacher! A bloody teacher!'

"What else have I missed? Is Lucius Malfoy the Minister of Magic?" It was at this point that Hermione began to descend the stairs, an unconscious Ron floating behind her. "Actually he's the chairman of the school board." the witch answered smoothly. "I've braced Ron's leg as best I could, it should be enough to get him to the infirmary without further damage." She continued completely ignoring Sirius' slack-jawed expression, and giving him a look that just dared him to keep making a ruckus.

'By Merlin she's like a frizzy haired Lily.' The Animagus thought as he watched the bossy brunette easily side-stepped Harry and Sniv and walking pass Remus to stand near a boarded up window the injured red-head serenely floating behind her.

The convict then turned to study his friend who appeared to be staring intently at the goblet in his hand. "Are you alright Remy? That git didn't poison you did he? Sirius asked frantically. He ran down the stairs two at a time stopping for only a moment at the bottom in order to kick Peter in the head before rushing on to crouching down in front of Remus.

Remus grimaced then laughed. "No. Not poisoned. Still disgusting though." He chocked out, setting the goblet on the floor gingerly. Sirius then noticed that Remus seemed to be trying to lick his mouth clean of something, like the time prongs had fed Sirius peanut butter in his dog form and he couldn't get it off the roof of his mouth. 'Ew.'

"So what do we do now?" Asked Harry.

Sirius was annoyed and slightly jealous to see Harry still kneeling by the potions professor and now folding up his robes then slipping them under Snape's head. 'He's a good kid.' Sirius thought watching Harry tend to the unconscious man and ask the Hermione-girl if she was fairing alright.

It was still hard for him to believe that Harry was already 13. 'And so mature for his age.' The last time he had seen the boy was just after his first birthday. He had been so small. A happy little bundle of energy, almost nothing like this quiet self contained teen in front of him. Now he could see that the boy was much too thin and small for his age. Sirius was positive he had been twice the size of Harry at that age.

Sirius shook his head. He would ask Harry to live with him after his name was cleared. As the boys godfather it was his right. Obviously whoever was caring for him now wasn't doing a good enough job.

A sigh from Remus broke the contemplative silence. "Well its too dangerous for me leave to shack; it will be moonrise soon." he answer leaning back against the trapdoor. "Sirius why don't you take Severus, Peter and the children back to the castle? I'm sure Albus will help you."

"No Remy there are Dementors everywhere. I'll be kissed before we even reach the door, and who knows what those things will do to the kids." Sirius argued with a heavy sigh. "Harry, take your friends and Sniv-Snape back to the castle. Tell Albus to get to the shack, he'll straighten everything out."

"What about Pettigrew?" Asked Hermione distractedly while studying two vials she had found on the floor. "What about him? Me and Moony are staying right here. He won't escape again!" His upper lip curled in a soundless snarl as he turned to glare at the traitorous rat.

"Why don't we wait until Snape wakes up?" Harry suggested. "Professor Lupin said he could do the Patronus Charm. That way we could get to the castle without having to worry about the Dementors." Sirius hated having to rely on Snape for anything but Harry did have a point and if Remus' beaming smile was any indication, he agreed with the plan as well.

"What are those, 'Mione?" Asked Harry as he noticed the vials she was holding. Sirius watched as she continued studying them with a confused frown on her face. "They're potion vials, both labeled in Professor Snape's handwriting. I don't understand it though…one of these is a Calming Draught and the other is a Sleeping potion…" She trailed off; turning the empty vials this way and that as if trying to divine an explanation from the small glass tubes.

"Why would Snape-"

"Professor Snape, Harry." Harry rolled his eyes in exasperation and Hermione sighed. Sirius smirked in amusement at what was obviously an old argument.

"Fine. Why would _Professor _Snape take a Sleeping Draught or a Calming Draught for that matter either? Harry huffed scowling at Hermione's superior expression.

'Well I guess Snivellus has reason enough to fear the shack…He might not have noticed what he was drinking.' Sirius thought guiltily.

"Scaredy-Wizard?" was what he offered instead.

"Both draughts are remarkably similar in color, texture, and taste. The only real way to tell the difference is by labeling them or by comparing the smell." Remus lectured, coolly glaring at Sirius. 'What did I do now?' the animagus thought with a sulk.

"Some potions teacher he is." Sirius laughed, thinking of how he would tease and taunt the Slytherin about this later. When nobody else laughed he looked around and noticed Remus guiltily eyeing both vials as well as Harry and Hermione eyeing him with irritation. 'Tough crowd.'

"This is my fault." Remus said miserably. "No Remus, it was never your fault." Sirius returned vehemently. "How can you say that? I almost-"

"NO! He shouldn't have been following you in the first place." Sirius interrupted his guilt ridden friend. "If anything its his own fault!"

Remus gave his friend and incredulous look. "What the hell are you saying Sirius?" The convict was struck dumb by hearing his mild mannered friend swear. 'What was that? Remy never swears.' Remus took the silence to mean he could continue. "YOU where the one who told him to go to the Shrieking Shack. You told him how to get pass the willow. You told him I wanted to talk to him. You sent him on a full moon!"

-TaoT-

Sirius paused, a hurt filled denial dieing on his lips. "I thought Sniv found out how to enter the shack on his own." But as he tried to remember if he had even seen Snape the day the boy had gone to the shack he realized that his memories of the event were all fuzzy and blurred around the edges.

None of it made sense. There was a vague feeling of having talked to _someone_ in the library but he couldn't recall who. Then he remembered running toward Gryffindor Tower panic and guilt flooding his whole being. Another moment where he thinks he sees James' worried face. 'Or is that Harry?' Before everything suddenly goes dark.

He remembered coming-to in the Headmasters office the next morning to the sounds of a shouting Severus Snape accusing him and the other Marauders of trying to murder him. The Headmaster had answered that it was just one of our usual pranks gone wrong and excused us to get ready for class while he scolded Snape for being out after curfew. He didn't realize it then, no doubt Snape didn't either but the fact that Remus was a werewolf never even came up. 'I wonder why…'

He tried to remember more details of that night to disprove Remus' accusation but that strange fuzzy feeling and a vague sense of forgetting something important was the only thing that he could come up with besides the small amount of disjoined memories. He couldn't even remember going to class that day.

"I-I-I c-can't rem-m-member…" Sirius stuttered his body shaking with dread. 'Dementors don't affect you this way. Distorted memories and a sense of loss were sighs of… something else. But what was it? Think paddy, think. You were an Auror for Merlin's sake!; you know this…Blurry/fuzzy thoughts. Forgetfulness…'

"Memory Alteration!"

"Moony! Somebody Obliviated me! I bet Snivelly did it!" He shouted slamming his fist into the nearby wall. Harry and Hermione jumped at the noise causing Sirius to abruptly calm. "Sorry." he said with a contrite smile.

"So what happen between you guys and Sna-" Harry cut himself off with an eye roll and another glare at Hermione. "_Professor_ Snape, anyway? Do you guys know each other or something?" Sirius suddenly wished he were anywhere but here, uncomfortable with answering those questions he turned pleading eyes to Remus.

He didn't want Harry to dislike him after only just meeting him again. But how could he explain to them that the way he treated Snape in school wasn't wrong, or bad; it was normal. It was especially difficult when he himself didn't even believe it anymore.

Remus finally took pity on the animagus and cleared his throat. "Well Harry, you may not have known this but when Sirius, Lily, James, Peter and I were in school we were in the same year as Severus. Your father and Sirius meet him on the train in first year and they were instant enemies. And when I befriended them along with Peter I was also considered Severus' enemy."

"We did partner up in class from time to time and could have an entire conversation without hexing each other. He never really trusted me fully and we were more like casual acquaintances. I think he never tried to be friends with me because he knew I was keeping secrets from him. And I was friends with two people he considered mortal enemies, so we were always distant with one another."

"I was nervous because at the time no one besides the Headmaster and the school nurse knew of my lycanthropy and I worried that Severus would be the one to find me out. But it was James who realized what I was first. He and Sirius confronted me about it the first day of winter break. I was sure they would demand I leave the school or threaten to tell their parents. Instead they accepted me regardless of my disease, and the Marauders were born."

"I explained to them that on the night of the full moon the school nurse took me from the castle to the whomping willow where I would take the underground passageway to the Shrieking Shack so that I could transform without the risk of biting attacking or killing anyone."

"What about the-" Hermione started.

"The Wolfsbane Potion hadn't been developed yet, Miss Granger. So on the nights of the full moon I was nothing but a wild beast. I had to be separated from the rest of the school for their safety as well as my own."

"But where does Snape come in? Oh sod off Hermione!" Harry muttered in irritation. Sirius barked out a laugh at the girl's insulted look. "That wasn't nice Harry." Remus admonished but the sides of his mouth were quirking upward. "Severus, well Severus was always a very smart person even at 11. But he was small, quiet, serious and a bit of an odd-ball, which is probably why Sirius and James liked to pick on him."

"REMY!" Sirius yelled, scandalized that his best mate would sell him out like that. Harry had an eyebrow raised at him in a dead imitation of Snape and Hermione scowled at him in disapproval. 'Damn, I just lost some major brownie points with the jury over there didn't I?'

"Now don't get me wrong, the Marauders my have started it but after he realized they wouldn't stop if he ignored them he gave just as good as he got." Remus said to calm the rising ire in the kids.

"Git gave better in some cases…" muttered Sirius remembering a time in 4th year when he had been stuck to the outer wall of Gryffindor Tower for almost two days before a curious 2nd year had finally hear his yells for help and ran to get McGonagall. Of course she assumed he had been trying to sneak into the girls dormitories and gave him 2 weeks of detention, but rather than admit that Snivellus had gotten the better of him he had just gone along with it.

"But after 2nd year Severus became curious about my constant illness. Because of this Sirius and James became more violent with their pranks in the hope that it would dissuade him from looking into the matter any further."

Harry snorted inelegantly "Even I know that, that would have made Snape-" Here he turned and stuck his tongue out at Hermione who replied by throwing one of the empty potion vials at his head."-even more curious about what you were hiding. Who's dumb idea was that?"

Sirius coughed feeling his blush spread from the crown of his head to the tips of his toes. Embarrassed as the three conscious people in the room attempted not to laugh at him, he blurted out. "What? I was 12! It made sense at the time!" That was all it took to have the room burst into laughter.

But the jovial mood quickly faded as they remembered what it was that they were laughing about. "Were you involved in this Professor Lupin?" Hermione asked icily. "No, but I never stopped it either." Remus said sadly. Sirius felt horrible that they had put Remus in a position where he had to choose between his friendship with the Marauders and doing what he felt was right. "It only got worse after that especially after James decided to pursue Lily."

"Why?" both children asked simultaneously. Their voices echoed loudly in the unexpected silence surprising both and making them turn quickly towards their sleeping potions professor. Fearful that he would awaken and start taking points in revenge for nosing into his past. Remus smiled at this.

"Severus and Lily lived in the same neighborhood as children and were good friends for years before attending Hogwarts." This was news to Sirius as well as the kids. 'I always thought they met on the Hogwarts Express and hit it off or something.'

"Professor Snape knew my mum? Harry asked in awe. Sirius and Remus both cringed as they realized that Harry probably knew next to nothing about his parents and while most themselves included went on and on about James, Harry probably had no one to tell him about Lily.

"Yes, they stayed good friends until 5th year, when after an embarrassing prank he lashed out at her in a fit of rage and called her a _Mudblood_." Harry and Hermione shared a look of disgust. 'Good.' thought Sirius.

"Poor Professor, he must have been so upset." Hermione cried. 'What?' Sirius mentally sputtered. "Did he try to apologies to her?" Harry asked calmly. "Why do you even need to ask? He still said it." Sirius said angrily.

"Sirius, people rarely say what they mean when they're angry and he was probably embarrassed or ashamed to have my mum see him being humiliated. Besides, I'm sure you and my dad were somehow involved in this so I really don't think you should be acting like he was the villain in all of this."

If Remus was surprised by Harry's impassioned speech he didn't show it and continued speaking as if the interruption never happened. "Yes he did, but she wouldn't listen. Wouldn't even look at him anymore." He was so distraught he would spend all day staring off into space and not paying attention to any of his classes."

"I took to coming by the library and sitting with him while I studied. We became friends with each other after a few months of me _annoying_ _him into insanity _as he put it, and we stayed friends until a week after OWLs when Sirius was placed under the Imperious curse-"

"WHAT!" 'I was Imperio-ed? Is that why I was Obliviated? But then why does Remus know about this and not me?' Sirius opened his mouth preparing to demand an explanation when Remus cut him off. "Wait Padfoot, let me finish."

"…Now I didn't really believe it until now but Sirius was placed under the Imperious curse- it's a type of mind control Harry -into telling Severus I wanted to speak with him about something important. He told him how to enter the whomping willow and get to the shack. It was a full moon that night so you can probably guess what he found at the end of the tunnel. After that he stopped talking to me and started following a crowd of boys who would later be followers of Voldemort."

"I'm sure he still has quiet a few bad memories about this place and took the Calming Draught to keep himself calm." Sirius looked over at the prone form of Snape on the floor. Snape would have had to know about The Shack and Remus in order to get Sirius to say anything about it so it wasn't him that cast the Imperious. 'But who could have known?'

Sirius had known Remus was friends with the Slytherin back in 5th year but he hadn't cared much at the time. Too worried about where he would live now that he had run away from home to be concerned about Slimy Snivellus. Besides Snape had been an annoying little bugger but he always made things interesting. The Marauders liked to prank him but none of them had wanted to see him dead.

"Alright, now explain Remus. How did _you_ know I was under Imperious if _I _didn't know? I can't even fully remember that day!" Sirius was tired and getting agitated, he didn't know how much more he could deal with today. 'I actually think I could have remained saner in Azkaban.'

"James told me. After you told Severus where to go you returned to Gryffindor Tower and went up to the dorms. James was up there alone polishing his broom or something, and said he noticed that you were acting strange. He said you started gloating about how you tricked _Snivellus_ into going to the Shrieking Shack and _~"_…_how scared he'll be when he sees who Moony really is…"~_

"_Remy, I'd never-"_

"_I know Siri, James said when he turned to yell at you, you had tears running down your face and seemed to be fighting the urge to stay still. He said when he realized what was happening he stunned you before running off to stop Severus."_

"_He said when he returned with Severus you and Albus where waiting for them on the front steps. Then the three of you were lead to the Headmasters office. He told me you looked dazed and he thought it was from the Stunner he hit you with." 'That must have been right after I was Obliviated…'_

"_The next morning he caught me outside of the infirmary and told me everything…" _

"_Why did you blame me earlier then?" _

"_I thought James had been trying to keep you out of trouble. He had looked so nervous and confused like he didn't remember it correctly, so I thought he had been making it up… I think he may have been Obliviated too."_

"_Then how could he have told you what happened?" Harry asked looking enraptured by the tale of Snape and the Marauders. "I believe some Pure-Bloods are immune; or at least partially immune to memory spells."_

"_That's true. They've never worked on my father." Added Sirius._

"_James told me not to repeat what he said to anyone, not even Dumbledore. I thought that was even further proof that he was covering up for Sirius. I didn't talk to either of them for the rest of the school year."_


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I Don't Own It. JK Does. Really, She Does.**

**Title: Time and other Truths**

**Summary: In Which a Time-Turner Breaks and Life gets a little more interesting.**

**Warnings: AU/AR, MWPP Era, Vaguely Cannon, OOC Snape, Character Death, Bad Dumbly, Good Moody, Language.**

**Chapter Notes: In which adults bicker like children and a transformation takes place.**

**Author Notes: Grr. The format at the end of my documents keeps messing up! WHY! This Chapter is a Split POV. The first half is Sirius' POV and the second half is Severus' POV. BTW this will probably be my last update until December. I will be participating in NaNoWriMo for the month of November under the pen name Braum. And the smacking is back…**

**Key**

Speech: "you're my best friend notepad"

Spells: Stupefy

Thought: 'notepad hates me'

SFX: *BOOM*

Writing: Once upon a time...

Memory: ~ _"because notepad is bratty" _~

Page Breaks: -TaoT-

SIRIUS POV

The room sat in a shocked silence that no one dared to break. Something terrible -an attempted murder- had occurred within Hogwarts' walls and it seemed that all the witnesses had been Obliviated. 'Someone wanted to frame me…or Remus for Snape's death. But who could want him dead enough to orchestrate something like this?'

A low moan finally broke the heavy silence and drew everyone's attention to Ron, who had been floating peacefully beside Hermione throughout the tale. The red-headed Gryffindor took in the room with pain glazed eyes.

Sirius and Remus watched him from where they were crouched by the trapdoor while Hermione was fussing right beside him. Harry was smiling at him all alone by the stairs. But upon closer inspection Ron saw Pettigrew's bound and unconscious form at the foot of the stairs as well as black shiny boots protruding from a black clothed lump directly behind Harry. His eyes widened as he realized what or rather who the other lump was.

"Bloody Hell! Who killed Snape!" The boy shouted trying desperately to float himself far away from Sirius and Remus. Both men had to fight off a laugh as Ron shifted his wild-eyed stare from one to the other.

"20 points from Gryffindor for swearing Weasley, and another 30 for assuming either one of those dunderheads could kill me." Snape grumbled from the floor causing all the occupants of the room to startle, or in Ron's case, squeal like a girl. The man ignored them all as he pulled himself to sit up.

Sirius stared in muted shock as he got his first real look at Severus Snape. 'I think he's actually taller than me.' Sirius thought incredulously. Even with the Potions Professor sitting it was easy to tell he was at least a head taller than Sirius. 'When did that happen? He was even shorter than Peter (the smallest of the Marauders) when we graduated.'

That wasn't the only thing different about the Slytherin he noticed. The mans voice was deeper than it had been at 20, the last time Sirius had seen him and it looked as though his nose had been broken a several more times. The first 3 having been Sirius and James' fault. His face was slightly lined and scared now making him look much older than 33.

He was well dressed now too; in thick woolen work-robes and a starched white dress shirt. Much different from the little boy who had arrived at Hogwarts with second-hand books and threadbare robes and the thriftily dressed young man he had seen at order meetings. Sirius didn't think the man looked angry, yet, just curious and slightly confused. 'That's probably a good sign.' he thought. 'Less time for him to plot.'

"Thank you, Severus." Remus beamed at the man, lifting the empty goblet and toasting him with it. For some reason that Sirius concluded 'defiantly _wasn't_ jealousy' this annoyed him. "So Sniv how long have you been teaching Potions" Sirius sneered casually. "Must not have been for very long if you still can't tell the difference between a calming draught and a sleeping potion… A little distracted were you?" He taunted smirking down at the now scowling man.

Sirius _did_ feel a little guilty taunting Snape after he had just helped them, but it was hard for him to acknowledge that over all the NOT-jealousy he was feeling. "I have been teaching just as long as YOU have been sitting in prison, Black." the Slytherin said coolly with an answering smirk.

Sirius wanted to retort something nasty about Snape's Death-eater days but the tremors in the man's hands gave him pause. 'Snape really is afraid of Remus.' he thought in shock. He had assumed it had been a scheme to make Remus feel guilty about what occurred at the shack but Snape kept eyeing the werewolf like he would attack at any second. 'Remus wouldn't hurt a fly.' Sirius thought trying to glare a hole into the Potions Professor head, but the man was obviously ignoring him.

Sirius' head snapped away from the man when Remus let out a strangled cry and collapsed to the floor. He saw Harry jump up to rush to the werewolf's aid out of the corner of his eye, but before he could think to stop him Snape had already put a restraining hand on his godsons shoulder.

The dog animagus rose from his position beside the convulsing wolf and eased his way slowly towards Ron and Hermione. While Sirius had openly goaded Snape about his fear of the wolf he himself had never actually witnessed Remus transform. It was the one rule the werewolf made sure they followed: 'NEVER. Never, enter the shack until after he had transformed.'

'If this is "better", I never want to see what happens when Remus doesn't take his potion.' Sirius thought feeling faintly ill as he heard gasps of pain and the hollow cracks of breaking bones coming from his long time friend. 'He must have put up silencing spells back in school.' Sirius felt close to tears as Remus' face scrunched in pain but the only sound he made were the occasional gasps and whimpers.

When he was right beside the floating Ron he stopped and turned to check on both Hermione and the boy only to see Harry and Snape beside the girl with the unconscious Pettigrew floating in front of them. Snape was trembling noticeably, his eyes unnaturally glazed and wide. And Sirius thought it luckily that the kids didn't notice he was the same.

When Snape noticed his look at Pettigrew he shrugged lightly "Bait. In case the wolf turns on us." Only the fear of garnering the transforming werewolf's attention stopped Sirius from launching himself at the caustic man. 'Paranoid Bastard!'

His attention returned to the large wolf that was, by now, rising to its feet and shaking its pelt in discomfort. "Professor Lupin?" Hermione squeaked from where she had hidden herself behind Snape. "Professor, Sir?" Harry asked as well poking his head around the other side of the Potions Professor.

The beast snapped its head in their direction and Sirius, Snape & Ron flinched when its eyes fell on the group. The wolf scented the air studying them intently as its eyes faded from murderous yellow to the warm honey that was Remus' natural eye color. That must have been what Snape was waiting for as the man sighed relaxing noticeably.

"Don't trust your own potions Snape? Sirius baited, still wary of being human and so near the large wolf. "I was merely unsure whether Lupin had taken the potion early enough for it to fully absorb." Snape stated calmly as he released the levitation spell on Pettigrew.

Sirius laughed as the rats Animagus hit the floor head first, groaning but not waking. Harry walking out from behind Snape and up to Moony where he crouched down in front of the wolf and tentatively began to pet his DADA teacher.

"Geez. With how many times they keep hitting him on the head I hope he's not brain dead by the time the Aurors arrive." Harry whispered loudly to the werewolf who made several chuffing noises that sounded suspiciously like laughter.

-TaoT-

Severus POV

Severus felt as thought his brain might explode. It made a heavy *THUMP, THUMP* against the back of his head and he was sure he could feel every tiny sound echoing painfully around his skull. 'I have to make more pain relief potion when this is over.' he thought, cringing internally when the throbbing turned into a sharp pain.

Unable to remember why his head felt like it had been used as a drum he didn't move from where he was and began to take stock of the situation. It felt as though he was lying on the ground and he notice there was something lumpy and soft propping his head up.

There was a soft murmur of familiar voices all around him. 'Students?' he thought confused. 'Did I pass out in class again?' The last time that had happened had been his first class teaching without Slughorn monitoring. "Bloody Hell! Who killed Snape!" a young male voice shrieked loudly. 'Weasley…'

That caused Severus to snap his eyes open to find out what was going on. A dark hair boy sat just in front of him and for one frightening moment he thought it was James Potter. 'Ah, wrong Potter.' He thought with annoyance. 'I'm in the shack? Oh yes, Lupin. The Wolfsbane potion. Pettigrew. Black. The bloody Sleeping potion. Good job Severus.' He thought sarcastically to himself. Without moving he focused in the direction the Weasley boy's voice had come from.

The boy left leg wrapped in what looked like half molded cloth was across the room from him floating beside Granger and looking fearfully back and forth between something on the other side of Potter. 'Most probably Black and Lupin.' While trying to propel his body behind the Granger girl and likely right out of the shack.

"20 points from Gryffindor for swearing Weasley, and another 30 for assuming either one of those dunderheads could kill me." He sniped. Everyone in the room jumped slightly as he spoke. Weasley squealing in fear began his attempts to float behind Granger anew. Granger, Severus was startled to realize was looking at him with relief. 'Why?'

With a surprising amount of difficulty Severus pushed himself up to a sitting position and looked around the shack. Granger and Weasley were in front of a boarded up window on the far side of the small rectangular main room, Potter was beside him looking just as relived as Granger, '…odd…' and Lupin, looking tired and amused sat beside Black who had a look of dumbfounded shock on his face. 'Idiot.' both were crouched by the trapdoor entrance. By the stairs Severus noticed a fat and dirty looking man with a pinched rat-like face lying bound and unconscious on the floor. 'Pettigrew.'

Severus decided that lying on the floor had made him stiff; so he decided to stretch a bit. Now he may have stretched his legs just a little too viciously near the rats head, and he may have left a rather livid bruise beneath the traitor's eye but by the dusty boot print at the man's temple he doubted anyone would care. Looking around to be sure his act of childishness had not been witnessed his eyes meet amused green eyes that were quickly averted. It seemed as though only Potter saw him and he knew the boy wasn't likely to say anything.

"Thank You, Severus." Lupin suddenly blurted out, exuberantly waving the empty goblet at him. Severus nodded slightly in answer, glad that him main objective of the night had been fulfilled. When he shifted to face the werewolf and Black, Severus _might_ have (accidentally of course) kicked the unconscious man again; this time on his unmarked temple. A stifled snort from Potter proved that he may not have been as discreet as he had been trying to be.

"So Sniv how long have you been teaching Potions" Black said in a falsely casual voice. 'Sodding Git.' Severus thought, wondering if the idiotic man would ever grownup. "Must not have been for very long if you still can't tell the difference between a calming draught and a sleeping potion. A little distracted were you?" Severus just glared back unwilling to be goaded into a fight.

Severus was somewhat mollified to notice Potter, Granger, and Lupin glare at the man looking less than amused by the convict's antics. He was more than a little irritated to notice the smile spreading across Weasley's face as Black continued. 'Congratulations Black, looks like you made a friend.' Thought Severus with a mental roll of his eyes. "Must not have been for very long if you still can't tell the difference between a calming draught and a sleeping potion… A little distracted were you?"

Severus felt a light blush stain his cheeks as he recalled his blunder. 'I should start carrying those in separate pockets. He thought ruefully. Luckily it was dark enough that all black notice was his scowl. 'Hateful Wanker.' Thought Severus as he realized that while he had gotten past their school boy grudges (Potter didn't count. That was all acting!) the convict was still living very much in the past.

Now normally Severus would have liked to be the superior person and continue to ignore Black. But at the moment he was experiencing a migraine-to-end-all-migraines add to that, that he was a Slytherin renowned horrendously-grouchy-morning-person, not to be bothered before at least 3 cups of coffee. (Or in this case a horrendously-grouchy-hung-over-on-potions-person, not to be bothered PERIOD!)

"I have been teaching just as long as YOU have been sitting in prison, Black." He finally answered, forcing a smirk across his face despite the stabbing pain. Severus knew that it was a low blow, but he was in pain and Black was annoying him. 'Mature Severus, real mature…and we're back to talking to ourselves.' He thought as he turned to focus on Lupin hoping to ignore Blacks presence, at least until he could figure out what was going on.

Severus hated how his hands began to shake as he looked to Lupin realizing that very soon the man would begin to change. Something he had only witnessed once and never wanted to see again. Before he could even start to ask a question a strangled cry from the werewolf had him startled enough that he unconsciously scooted back, grabbing Potter's leg and pulling him back with him when the boy jumped up to run to the other Professors aid.

Severus stood up quickly ignoring the sudden rush of vertigo and transferred his grip from Potters leg to his shoulder as he pulled the boy further away from the painful sight. When Potter continued to struggle he turned the boy around to face him whispering harshly; "Cease moving child, his transformation has begun. There is nothing you can do for him now save staying out of his way."

Potter looked on horrified as Lupin silently thrashed on the floor lips bloody between his teeth as he tried to mute his screams. Severus loosened his grip on the boys shoulder and carefully guided him towards Weasley and Granger. When they reached the stairs Severus tripped over the unconscious Pettigrew and noticed Black had abandoned his place beside Lupin. 'Coward.'

Having a sudden thought Severus levitated the corpulent body of Pettigrew between where Potter and he were slowly slipping by and the werewolf who was beginning to sprout tufts of fur all over his body. Severus cringed as in between gasping breaths he watched Lupin's teeth elongated and sharpened. He kept himself between Potter and the wolf as they reached the other two children.

He scowled faintly as he spotted Black edging behind the Weasley boy, looking faintly ill as he watched Lupin transform. "Is it always this bad?" Whispered as the sound of breaking bones and half-human growls filled the air. "This is the first time I have witnessed the transformation." He lied with a calm he didn't feel. "It will be over soon Potter." He tried to comfort.

The boy paled slightly and Granger buried her face in her hands, both moving behind their Potions Professor as a particularly loud crack and a vicious growl came from the form that was now more monster than man.

"Don't move." He whispered knowing both Potter and Granger could hear him. "I am unsure as to whether or not the potion was giving enough time to absorb. He may not be of his own mind." as he said this he moved Pettigrew in front of the Weasley boy as the other two were hiding behind him.

"If he is dangerous, I will blast out the window behind you, I want you to escape while I distract him. -Do not fight me on this Potter!- Do you understand?" Severus hissed between clenched teeth staring the boy down in an effort to make him obey. "Yes Sir." the boy replied quietly. He turned to Granger and got an equally quiet affirmative.

Black was looking in their direction now, an eyebrow raised in question as he saw Pettigrew suspended in front of Weasley. "Bait. In case the wolf turns on us." He shrugged shakily and watched as Blacks face contorted in anger. 'Idiot.'

Severus swallowed heavily as he felt his heart begin to race. The growls and whimpers were increasing in volume and with the sleeping potion still in his system as well as the migraine play a staccato beat inside his skull Severus was starting to feel dizzy. He hoped Black would be smart enough to lead the children back to the safety of Hogwarts if Lupin was not in control. But to his shock Black looked as badly shaken as he felt.

'Damn.' Severus seethed, unsettled by the fact that even Black appeared to fear Lupin when the beast took over and would likely be useless in leading the children away. Severus returned his attention to the now fully transformed wolf lying on the ground. It slowly rose to its feet shaking out the last of its residual pain before its yellow eyes began to take in the familiar room with the calculated precision of a hunter.

Severus tensed moving his wand slowly to aim at the window, prepared to cast the blasting curse. "Professor Lupin?" Came the pitifully vulnerable voice of Hermione Granger who was staring at the wolf fearfully behind the Potions Master's robes. "Professor, Sir?" Potter echoed; bring them to the wolf's attention.

The beast's head snapped in their direction and it lifted its nose up into the air sniffing carefully. Black, Weasley, and he flinched at being the focus of a werewolf. Right as he was in position to create their escape route Severus sagged letting out an unconscious sigh of relief as beastly yellow eyes faded into warm amber.

"Don't trust your own potions Snape?" Black taunted with a lot more bravado then he probably had, as Severus watched him continue to eye the wolf warily. "I was merely unsure whether Lupin had taken the potion early enough for it to fully absorb." he answered honestly, now awake enough to ignore Black's childish taunts.

With the danger past, at least as far as Severus was concerned, he released the levitation charm taking just a _little bit_ of vindictive pleasure as Pettigrew crashed to the floor head first. The rat groaned but didn't rouse even when a bark of laughter caused Severus to jump and then glare at the grinning convict.

Severus was further surprised when Potter walk from behind him and crouched nervously in front of the man now wolf. "Geez." The boy mock whispered, loud enough to be heard by everyone. "With how many times they keep hitting him on the head I hope he's not brain dead by the time the Aurors arrive." The wolf let out a loud canine laugh as Potter ran his fingers through the coarse gray fur.

Rolling his eyes at Potter's antics Severus turned to observe the strangely silent red-head. The Weasley boy looked pale and drawn even as he once again tried to float himself to safety. The boy had his arms pin wheeling around desperately, but didn't move anywhere. Severus cursed the ill-fated luck that had left him stuck in a room full of overacting Gryffindors.

With a long suffered sigh he reached into yet another pocket in his robes and removed three vials. Reading the labels carefully, (just in case) he nodded his head before approaching the injured boy. "Weasley. Drink these immediately." Severus said brusquely, thrusting the vials at the wide-eyed boy. After a moment the boy narrowed his eyes in suspicion, studying the vials critically.

*SMACK*

"Quit being a prat and drink the bloody potions already Ronald!" Granger ordered glaring the boy down until he had obediently swallowed the bone mending potion, a low grade fever reducer, and a sleeping potion; as Severus is out of pain reliving potion. 'Someone is up past her bed-time.' Thought Severus in mild amusement. He was reminded of the time when he and Lily had stayed up late in 2nd year to work on a potion and the young witch had become unbelievably snippy towards the end of the night.

Severus watched the irate young witch lower he housemate to the floor where Potter had already cast a cushioning charm. "Now thank Professor Snape for being kind enough to heal you now instead of leaving you to suffer as I would have done!" Severus' felt his eyebrows rise to meet his hairline as the boy seemed to shrink into himself in an attempt to escape the girls raving.

"Thank you, for being kind enough to heal me now instead of leaving me to suffer as Hermione would have done? The boy parroted with a questioning tone at the brunette. "Thank you, SIR. Ronald!" She growled. "That's quite alright Miss Granger." Severus interrupted. "Thanks are not necessary, but perhaps you should allow Mr. Weasley his rest?" He questioned mildly.

This served to purpose of distracting the witch long enough for the Gryffindor boy to feign sleep. 'That could almost be considered Slytherin cunning.' he mentally laughed. "Of course Professor." She said politely. "As it seems we may be staying the night here. I suggest you get some rest as well Miss Granger."

The girl looked fit to argue so Severus added. "If that is acceptable to YOU I mean…" with an over-done look of askance.

The girl blushed in embarrassment before sitting down beside her _sleeping friend laying her head upon her knees. Severus smirked to himself for stopping an argument that would have made his headache unbearable. He turned to Potter in order to suggest that the boy rest as well, but stopped short, words freezing on his tongue at seeing two dogs instead of one._


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:** I Don't Own It. JK Does. Really, She Does.

**Title: **Time and other Truths

**Summary:** In Which a Time-Turner Breaks and Life gets a little more interesting.

**Warnings:** AU/AR, MWPP Era, Vaguely Cannon, OOC Snape, Character Death, Bad Dumbly, Good Moody, Language.

**Chapter Notes:** In which some history is learned, a new problem arrives, and an adventure begins.

**Author Notes**: This ones another split POV. I'm trying to work my way up to universal POV but it is a bit hard for me. I am so unbelievably glad that FF dot net does back ups. I lost upward of 30,000 words for my Wrimo entry and all my non-notebook HP notes and chapters. had to submit the 4,000-ish words that I had e-mail to myself from my iPod after something viral started destroying files left and right. Lappytop is now guarded and back on HP fanfiction writing track with all my chapters now saves to an online backup. I'm terribly excited to be getting to the shift in cannon and my first FIGHT SCENE!

**Thank you** to Luiz4200, Cassandra30, Tessia, and becomingwhaturmeantobe for your reviews they make me squee in happiness and want to type faster.

**Key**

Speech: "you're my best friend notepad"

Spells: Stupefy

Thought: 'notepad hates me'

SFX: *BOOM*

Writing: Once upon a time...

Memory: ~ _"because notepad is bratty" _~

Page Breaks: -TaoT-

Severus POV

Severus drew his wand and pointed it at the new animal. A large -about a head shorter than the wolf- shaggy black dog that was now playing with the werewolf. The two rolled around the dusty shack like a pair of overgrown puppies bumping into broken furniture and throwing up dust in turbulent clouds.

Potter remained seated on the floor watching and laughing quietly at the canines' antics. Severus didn't know whether to be glad at seeing such a relaxed expression on the normally tense boys face or irritated at the boy for his lack of caution.

"Where is that idiot Black when he is supposed to be looking out for his Godson?" Severus hissed quietly to himself.

'Not even a day and the man was already proving himself incompetent.' he huffed mentally.

"Sirius, no!" Potter giggled when the large black dog began to lick his face. Severus narrowed his eyes in confusion.

'Wait! Sirius?' He could not believe he missed something that should have been so obvious. 'Of course Pettigrew couldn't have learned to become an animagi on his own.'

"Black! That's you isn't it?" Severus snarled pointing his wand at the dog once more. He was in fact more furious at himself for missing all the clues that should have lead him to this conclusion earlier than he was at Black. So many of the Marauders actions and taunts had confused him but now they made perfect sense.

Laughing gray eyes turned to regard him, the mutts tongue lolling out of its mouth as it caught it's breath and grinned at him. The dog was thin but it was hardly noticeable under the thick black fur and Severus was now beginning to realizing how long Black had been here. In this form Black truly did look like the Grim his Snakes had reported seeing as early as September.

"Change back now Black!" If Black and Pettigrew could enter Hogwarts so easily who knew how many others would yet or had already done the same. Severus watched intrigued as the dog transformed into a man and the same laughing pair of eyes watched him from the face of Sirius Black.

"You're an animagus ." he accused dumbly, still too shocked to say anything more coherent. "You're an ILLEGAL animagus!" shock quickly bleeding into anger. "How Long?" he growled. That was a simple enough question, he thought, all things considered.

"What's an animagus?" Potter questioned looking to Severus which caused Black to growl low in his throat and answer.

"An animagus is a witch or wizard who can take the form of a specific animal at will."

Potters eyes lit up and he grinned wide. "You mean like Professor McGonagall?"

"Does she still start her first class in her animagus form?" Black laughed a wistful look in his eyes.

"How Long, Black?" Severus interrupted.

The convict glared at him and was ready to tell Severus to 'shut the, bloody hell, up!' but one look from Potter had him reluctantly continuing.

"We -Me, James, and Peter- started studying in first year after we found out about Remus. Me and James didn't manage it until the end of 3rd year, Peter didn't get it til 5th year." Black answer without a fight.

'Animagi at 13! Incredible!' Though Severus felt he shouldn't be surprised, for as much as he had accused the Marauders of being imbeciles it was more the fact that that they wasted their knowledge on tricks and pranks than any real lack of intelligence on their part that had him referring to them as such.

'Lupin will have a lot to answer for when he is human again.' Severus decided. 'Why he didn't believe we needed to be informed that Black was and animagi and knew how to enter Hogwarts, I haven't a clue.'

Even though Severus now knew Black was innocent it didn't change the fact that any number of the Dark Lords supporters could have used the same means to enter Hogwarts as Black did and the Headmaster and Staff were left uninformed due to some sort of misguided sense of childhood solidarity.

"What was my dad's form?" Potter asked bouncing around the floor in excitement.

Black smirked and leaned towards Harry giving the boy a one armed hug. "Well…" the convict wheedled. "He was big, very fast, powerful too, and dangerous, he was the only one who could really keep Mooney inline when the wolf was in control."

Black was now smiling from ear to ear his skin stretched tightly over his face. Potter was leaning closer to the dog animagi as if shortening the distance between the two would speed up Black's answer.

"Was he a loin? A panther? A bear?" Potter vibrated with curiosity and Black grinned wider increasing Severus' own curiosity.

"Better. He was a deer."

Potter stilled and his eyes widened while Black snickered his gaunt face flushed red as he shook with suppressed laughter.

"A, a…deer?" Potter's confusing shone clear on his face.

"Well a stag, technically."

"Prongs." Severus scoffed. He rolled his eyes at the childish moniker. "As if Potter's ego hadn't been inflated enough."

This caused both Harry and Sirius to regard the Slytherin with curiosity and in Blacks case suspicion. Severus rolled his eyes and explained.

" The animal on your family crest is a stag Potter, a male deer. Your father probably thought it a testament to his pure-blood status that it was also his animagus form. Prongs was the name your Godfather and the werewolf called him in school, more than likely in reference to the antlers on his family crest and his animagus form."

"Why did you want to become an animagus?" Potter asked stopping yet another attempt by Black at starting an argument.

'Honestly was the man not happy unless he was irritating or insulting someone?' Severus thought feeling exhausted from the migraine he was trying to ignore and Black's antagonism.

"Well by then we knew that Remus spent every full moon here in the Shrieking Shack and spent a week or two recovering in the infirmary. You see, because he was trapped all alone in the shack the wolf got restless and violent and attacked itself. There were time he would come back covered head to toe in bandages and be hurt so badly hat he would have scars even after Madam Pomfrey healed him."

Potter looked as shocked as Severus felt at the gravity of Lupin's struggle with the wolf. 'No wonder he always has to mention how grateful he is for the wolfs-bane potion.' Severus looked over to the wolf who was currently curled round itself eyes focused on Black as he continued speaking. No at all like the self destructive beast Black was describing.

"He told us once that he remembered bits and pieces of his time as the wolf and how nice it had been when a small squirrel had sneaked into the shack one night and how calm the wolf had been just playing tag with it. It was then that James got the idea that we should be animagi. He mailed his dad asking if an animagi had ever been bitten by werewolf and whether or not they transformed. He said it was for Defense Class."

Potter looked like he wanted to ask a question but didn't want to interrupt the story. Severus took a guess at what the boy wanted to ask and interrupted to say.

"Your Grandfather, Henry Potter, was head of the Auror Division at the time this would have occurred. And would have had dealings with a violent werewolf called Fenrir Greyback who was forming an army of werewolves to attack both wizarding and muggle communities."

By the grateful look on Potter's face that was exactly what he wanted to know. Severus felt a surge of anger towards the Headmaster and the rest of the wizarding world, Black included for just assuming that Potter would know all about his family just because they did.

"My grandfather was an Auror too!" Potter exclaimed happily turning to Black to confirm the information.

"Yes." Black answered with a warm smile. "your Grandmother was too, that was how they met."

Potter's eyes shone with happiness at hearing about the family he was never able to meet.

"What did he write back?" Potter asked unconsciously scooting closer to the comforting hug of his Godfather.

"Well I don't think he completely believed us, and I think he may even have known Remus was a werewolf, but he wrote back that as far as they knew animagi bitten by werewolves very rarely showed any symptoms of lycanthropy or any adverse reactions to silver or wolfs bane. He also said that if we got caught he would deny any involvement on his part."

'So the Potters are genetically predisposed to rule breaking it seems.' Severus thought cynically. 'Honorable lions indeed.'

"James sneaked into the restricted section of the library that same night, using the invisibility cloak your Grandpa gave him and copied the 'Beginner's Guide to Animagi' and 'So You Want to be an Animagi'

"Ah speaking of which Potter, you shouldn't leave such valuable family heirlooms just lying on the ground." Severus said removing the light and flowing cloak from a pocket near his waist and holding it out to the boy.

Potter blushed only now remembering throwing off the cloak to chase after Weasley and the canine form of Black.

"Um, could you hold onto it sir, I don't want to lose it again and it wont fit in any of my pockets." Potter said in a rush smiling slightly as I replace the item in my pocket.

"WHAT! Harry! Why are you giving that to HIM!" Black shouted reaching to grab at the Potion Masters robes. "Don't you know what he is Harry?" Black continued to yell startling everyone in the room as he jumped to his feet and shoved Severus into a nearby wall.

"He's a Death Eater, he is the reason your parents are dead!" Black looked like he had won the lottery at Potter's stricken face. But when Potter turned to Severus there was something like frustration there.

"Did you ever figure out who started that ridiculous rumor?" he said rolling his eyes and giving Black a dark look.

Severus heaved a sigh and looked Black in the eye "I thought you had just recently established that Peter Pettigrew and the Dark Lord were responsible for the deaths of Lily and Potter?"

"You told Voldemort the Prophesy, Albus said so!"

"I did no such thing! Bellatrix Lestrange brought the prophecy to the Dark Lord and before you accuse me of choosing the Potters, a ministry mole brought the Dark Lord a list of children to be born in July and only Potter and Longbottom matched that description!"

Severus was furious. 'He. Endanger Lily? Never!' Severus wondered how else the Headmaster disparaged him.

"You were still a Death Eater."

"Precisely. I was a Death Eater. I was also a spy as you very well know."

"Once a criminal always a criminal."

"So says the illegal animagi and escaped convict. Shall I add attempted murderer to the list as well?" Severus said smoothly indicating Black's borrowed wand aimed between his eyes.

"So what are you going to do about it? Turn me in for being an animagi instead?" Black asked, his posture hostile and his eyes hard.

Looking over to Potter Severus could see the boy wasn't taking their argument well. 'Time to try and settle this.' Severus thought. "Honestly Black! You're upsetting your Godson! Cease all this childishness immediately. Can't you bloody well put the past behind you like everyone else and get over it. Besides, do you honestly think I would turn you in for something I am guilty of myself?"

Two pairs of wide disbelieving eyes stared back at him. He hoped that by offering up that useful bit of information he might forestall another argument with Black as they seemed to have an adverse effect on Potter.

"You're an animagi professor?" Potter asked eyes wide with amazement. Severus felt himself flush in embarrassment under Potters stare and Black's silent scrutiny. "Yes I am." he answered with a grunt now uncomfortable with the attention he was getting.

Black stood from his place beside Potter and approach the Potions Master slowly, studying him like one might study a new and intriguing potions ingredient.

"When did you learn?" he asked, circling Severus and examining him, trying to find some clue to the Slytherin's animal form on his person. Severus stiffened and debated with himself about how much to say.

"Shortly after 6th year." He finally answered. But the nausea still flooded him as he recalled the exact circumstances under which he had learned.

"How long did you study?" Black continued returning to his place on the floor in defeat. Unaware of Severus' discomfort Black now watched him with an intent a look of interest.

Severus sighed, trying to put the memory behind him. "I Didn't. Study I mean. It was an accident." He was sure his flush was now visible even in the darkness of the shack. "I was stuck as an animal for over a week before I figured out how to change back."

Black looked stunned and Severus wondered if it bothered Black so much that Severus was human, and made mistakes just like anybody else or if it was the fact that he had managed to do by accident something that Black had studied for years to do on purpose.

"Well, damn. That must have sucked." the convict blurted out lamely. An uneasy silence falling around them as Black looked stuck between laughing out right at Severus' embarrassment and trying not to start another fight for Potter's sake.

"So what did you turn into Professor?" Potter asked sending Black a grateful look as he managed to remain silent and put up a some what stoic expression. 'So an old dog can be taught new tricks.' Severus thought smirking until Black and Potter turned towards him once again.

"Yeah Sni-Snape. What are you? A snake? I bet you are! I'm right, aren't I?" Black laughed pointing an accusing finger at the Potions Master.

"No Black I am afraid you are mistaken." Severus answered an amused smirk on his face.

"Fine, what are you then?" Black said petulantly crossing his arms across his chest.

As Severus decided whether or not to reveal his animagus form a nasal whine and a rustling of cloth had him turning to the bound man on the floor. 'Waking up are we?.' He thought.

"Damn! He's waking up!" Snapped Black jumping to Severus' side and looking down at the now struggling man. "Another Stupefy should keep him out for the rest of the night." Severus said drawing his wand in order to stun the traitor again.

EXPELLERAMUS!

Was shouted from behind them and both of their wands flew backward and into the waiting hands of Albus Dumbledore.

"I'm afraid that wont be necessary my boy."

Severus turned slowly, ever so slowly.

'Please no.' He thought desperately.

'Please, oh please...not him.'

Severus was now facing the open trapdoor where his employer and 'keeper' emerged from the shadows Severus' and Black's wands in one hand and his own pointed at the pair standing over the prone animagus.

"Headmaster!" Potter shouted in relief.

'This is not an improvement child.' Severus thought stonily.

"Albus!" Black cried out nervously, like a child caught doing something wrong.

"Headmaster, Stop! Sirius is innocent! You have to believe me, Pettigrew is alive! He was the Traitor. He was the Secret-keeper! Look! He's right over there!" Potter rambled pointing to the bound man on the floor.

" I know Harry, I know." Dumbledore said kindly, turning to Potter with a benevolent smile. "And Sybil's most recent prophecy states that he must return to his master this night." The Headmaster continued, dismissing the anti-transformation spell and released the binding spell with a wave of his wand.

The surprised Pettigrew wasted no time before he transformed back into the rat he resembled and scurried away into the night.

"Albus! What are you doing?" Shouted Black moving towards the rat only to stop short as the Headmaster leveled his wand at the shocked Black heir.

"He will return tonight..." Potter whispered seemingly unaware of the rest of the room.

"Tonight, he who betrayed his friends, whose heart rots with murder...shall break free." Dumbledore added solemnly.

" Innocent blood shall be spilt...and servant and master shall be reunited once...more!" Potter finished looking accusingly at Dumbledore.

"We could have stopped it! We could have ended everything tonight! Why sir...?" Potter pleaded.

"I'm afraid we cannot allow anyone to know of young Peter's betrayal, it was necessary, you understand. He is required to live if the prophesy is to be fulfilled. It is all for the greater good." Dumbledore stated calmly.

As the Headmaster spoke Severus stood ridged and still hands clenched at his side. 'Blast it! How could I have forgotten the bloody Headmaster? He has always been aware of the order spy, could he have known where Pettigrew was all along? And what is he doing now? How could he allow the rat to escape? How did he find us?'

Severus' thoughts bubbled chaotically behind his grave expression. He was unsure how to escape this situation and keep his promise to Lily. Dumbledore would not allow anyone to discover his manipulations.

Black would either be Kissed or on the run, Pettigrew was already on his way to the Dark Lord, and the Headmaster would most likely use this opportunity to shape Potter further into the soldier he required. Dumbledore now turned to the Potions Master a look of false sadness on his face.

"Severus I'm disappointed in you. You should have informed me the moment you located the escaped convict Sirius Black. Did you want an Order of Merlin that badly?" Severus tried not to let his annoyance with this game the Headmaster was trying to play show. 'A Slytherin you are not.' He thought sardonically.

"Really, what were you thinking my boy?" Severus mentally rolled his eyes as Dumbledore attempted to enter his mind and influence his thoughts.

The Slytherin knew what the other man was trying to do; trying to make him the villain in this situation. But Severus doubted he realized exactly how much had already been said.

"But sir! Sirius is innocent! What are you saying?" Yelled Potter, desperately looking for the kind Headmaster he had come to know in this cruel and unreasonable man.

"Yes, yes Harry I can see how this would confuse you. Let me help you better understand. OBLIVIATE! "

A bright flash of light hit Potter right between the eyes and the boy fell roughly to the floor.

"HARRY!" Black shouted struggling not to run to the boy as Dumbledore moved his wand to rest on the animagus once again.

Severus started terribly when his wand hand was grabbed and a small metal object was pushed into his palm. A soft voice whispered at his back. "Professor, please take my time-turner. Get Mr. Black out of here. You have to find some way to stop him." Granger sounded breathless with fear but she quickly rushed past Severus and crouched down beside the unconscious Potter.

"Professor what happened to Harry?" The girl asked Dumbledore, acting as though she had not just witnessed the Headmaster obliviate a student and frame a man he knew was innocent.

"Poor Harry was stunned by Mr. Black but luckily Severus was here to hold him off until I arrived. You are safe now child." The Headmaster lied.  
Granger turned towards Black a look of apology on her face as she broke into realistic tears.

"Oh thank you Headmaster! I thought he was going to kill all of us."

A low growl pulled everyone's attention from the smug looking Headmaster to the large form directly behind him. It seemed that even Dumbledore had forgotten about Lupin as his eyes widened and his wand unconsciously lowered to the ground when he turned.

With Headmaster distracted Severus slipped in front of Black and threw the elongated chain of the time-turner over both their heads and preformed a wand-less summoning spell to retrieve his wand. He shoved the small hour glass into Black's hands and urgently whispered. "Twelve turns Black."

The cool ebony handle of his wand snapped into his hand and it gave him a rush of intense relief to feel the imbued magic mix with his own once again. When Severus turned back to the wolf and Headmaster he shot off a silent stunning hex but in a feat of surprising agility and speed Dumbledore dodged the hex and turned to fire a blasting hex at the convict and the Potions Master.

Severus cringed when the werewolf tackled the aged wizard and the blasting hex hit the ceiling causing a rain of wood chips and plaster to fall down on him. The wolf rolled quickly to his feet, prepared to attack again and issued a bloodcurdling howl.

Dumbledore stood between Severus and Lupin a wand in each hand and eyes hard as sapphires. Severus knew he would have no chance to cast another hex with the Headmaster on guard and watched the old coot warily as growls hummed out of the wolf across from him. Lupin's muzzle was pulled back in a snarl and Severus was pleased to note that this was more a comfort than anything else.

A slight movement of Dumbledore's robes was the only warning Severus had before the Headmaster cast a silent Expulso shaking the ground at Severus' feet.

IMPEDIMENTA!

Severus swore as with a wave of Weasley's wand Dumbledore sent Lupin crashing into a wall. Black was still methodically turning the time-turner. 'We need more time.'

SECTUMSEMPRA!

PROTEGO! DIFFINDO! DIFFINDO!

PROTEGO MAXIMA! REDUCTO!

As Severus sent his own blasting hex at the Head master Lupin shook off the effects of Dumbledore's cutting hex and prepared for another charge. How they managed to avoid hitting Potter, Granger and Weasley Severus isn't sure only grateful.

CONFRINGO! OBLIVIATE!

Albus' shout was followed by two bursts of white light one of which sent the werewolf crashing into the tunnel behind the trapdoor and the other striking Severus in the chest.

Severus let out a rush of air as he was sent crashing into Black, sending both of them to the floor. Sore and dazed Severus pulled himself to his feet bringing Black with him.

"How many more turns?" He asked.

"Uh...s-seven." Black stuttered watching the panting Headmaster blink dumbly at his Potions Master.

CONFRINGO!

Severus and Black both dodged the curse, jumping away in separate directions. Severus was stopped when he was choked by the chain around his neck, Black's own gag signified a

similar stop for the dog animagi.

Safe in the knowledge that both he and Black were uninjured -for the moment anyway- his next plan of attack was interrupted by a high pitch whine, like a muggle plane engine and the sound of breaking glass. Severus turned in a flutter of robes to see the hourglass of the time-turner swallowed in an angry red glow.

* CRACK *

Severus was only partially aware of the loud crack as the shack vanished before his eyes.

-TaoT-

Sirius POV

"Professor what happened to Harry?" Hermione cried running out from behind the stoic visage of the Potions Professor. The girl threw herself down beside Sirius' obliviated Godson.

Sirius could not understand what was happening. Albus was supposed to help them, right? Then what was happening now Peter was gone, Harry was obliviated, Snape was being blamed for the whole debacle. 'And what is up with Snape? He's just been standing there, not defending either of us?'

"Poor Harry was stunned by Mr. Black but luckily Severus was here to hold him off until I arrived. You are safe now child."

The dog animagus stared in horror as his former mentor and supposed friend lied about him to cover up his own actions. 'Why is Albus doing this? Didn't he want to stop Voldemort too? What did it matter about the prophesy?' Sirius' internal panic attack was interrupted by Hermione's voice.

"Oh thank you Headmaster! I thought he was going to kill all of us." The girl cried out. Heavy tears ran down her face as she looked at Sirius but her eyes didn't speak of fear or gratitude but apology. 'It's alright kid, I understand.' he thought.

'But what are we going to do now?'

Sirius felt the low growl in his bones before he actually heard it. 'Mooney!' He thought in triumph as the beast slowly emerged from the shadows his upper body lowered almost to the to the ground and ready to attack.

Sirius thought for a moment that Dumbledore might finally be seeing reason when he turned towards Remus and lowered his wand to the ground but Remus' continued snarls shot that idea down.

Sirius reached into the pocket of his threadbare robe looking for Remus' wand that he had pocketed earlier but movement at his side stopped him as Snape rushing in front of him and put some kind of rope chain over his neck. He hear a rush of air followed by a slap and saw Snape's wand back in his hand.

'Snape can do wand-less magic?' Sirius was starting to get a headache form all the new and shocking information he kept discovering.

Snape pushed something into his hand and whispered 'Twelve turns Black." Before turning to face Albus and Remus blocking Sirius' view of them but also their view of him. He didn't understand why Snape would block him until he looked down at his hand. 'A time-turner!' He mentally crowed.

The floor where the Headmaster had been standing exploded as the old wizard leapt away and shot back his own blasting hex. 'He can cast silent spells too?' Sirius started the second turn with a petulant glare at Snape's back. Even as an Auror he had only rarely mastered silent spells.

The ceiling above their heads exploded raining them with plaster and wood. Sirius felt around in his pocket once more and his hand finally came in contact with Remus' wand.

He cast a whispered Protego over Harry and Hermione pulling up a quick one over Ron when Remus pounced on Albus sending him crashing a little closer to were the red-head slept.

The ground shook on the fourth turn and Sirius looked up to see Mooney crash into a wall with a powerful impedimenta. He did a double take in shock when the legendary Stonewall Snape started swearing like a old sailor. 'Is that even possible at Albus' age?' SECTUMSEMPRA! Snape shouted but the Headmaster blocked with,

PROTEGO! Then countered both Snape and Remus with , DIFFINDO! DIFFINDO! Snape quickly cast

PROTEGO MAXIMA! to block the curse then followed it with REDUCTO! while Remus took the spell head-on, his werewolf fur impervious to the cutting curse.

CONFRINGO! OBLIVIATE!

The old man shouted when Sirius turned the hourglass for the fifth time. He heard the crash of something heavy cracking wood, then felt all the air knocked from his lungs and the wand from his hand as Snape slammed into him, sending them both sprawling to the ground.

Sirius grunted in pain as the man on top of him pushed off his chest to stand and began to lift him up by his forearms.

"How many more turns?" Snape demanded.

"Uh...s-seven." Sirius stuttered surprised to see Snape on his feet so fast after being struck with whichever curse had hit him and confused by the look of bewilderment Albus was throwing Snape.

CONFRINGO!

Sirius dropped the time-turner at Albus' shout and leapt away to avoid the fast approaching red light.

"Gek!"

Sirius jerked to a stop as the chain of the time-turner dug into his neck, he moved back a little when Snape coughed for breath. 'Bloody necklace!' Sirius thought, reaching up to remove the restricting chain only to stop short at the sound of breaking glass.

He looked back to where they had been standing previously and saw the hourglass shattered as it was swallowed by the red light of the blasting hex. Sirius put his hands over his ears as a loud screeching, like a banshee cry started at the focal point of the red light. Then with an almighty *CRACK* Sirius felt himself getting pulled away like with a portkey.

In the deafening silence that followed Sirius and Snape were nowhere to be found, leaving a seething Albus, a shocked Hermione, a half-dead werewolf and two unconscious Gryffindors as the only witnesses to the magical anomaly that had just occurred.

But none of that mattered now as the reality they had once known had already begun to change.

**ONE MORE A/N:** I decided to use the prophecy Trelawney made in the movie because it suited the story a little better. So how was the fight scene did it seem action-y or not really? Changed over to OpenOffice lets see if formatting does what it's told.  
Please Review. Good or bad, I welcome it all.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:** I Don't Own It. JK Does. Really, She Does.

**Title:** Time and other Truths

**Summary:** In Which a Time-Turner Breaks and Life gets a little more interesting.

**Warnings:** AU/AR, MWPP Era, Vaguely Cannon, OOC Snape, Character Death, Bad Dumbly, Good Moody, Language.

**Chapter Notes: **In which there is death.

**Author Notes:** Short chapter today. It was a pain to write and I almost wanted to combine this and the next chapter but decided to leave it as it is. Review! Please.

**Key**

Speech: "you're my best friend notepad"

Spells: STUPEFY!

Thought: _'notepad hates me'_

SFX: *BOOM*

Writing: Once upon a time...

Memory: ~ _"because notepad is bratty" _~

Page Breaks: -TaoT-

Pain. Pain was the only thing he was aware of. The only thing that he knew. The only thing that existed after the shack vanished.

Severus felt like he was getting ripped apart from the inside out. _'Like the first time I became an animagus.'_ He thought he must have blacked-out or maybe even died. If this was Hell it was indeed adequately named.

But as he thought that the pain was slowly ebbing and a floating sensation was taking its place. The burning in his limbs diminished to a dull ache that left him dizzy and disoriented. Severus let his limbs stretch out in search of a wall or floor or ceiling. There was nothing but darkness and too warm air.

"Black?" He called out. His voice echoing strangely into space he found himself in.

No one answered his call and though he felt his eyes were open he could see nothing of the world around himself. _'Am I blind?'_ he though with a thrill of terror.

But just as quickly as the thought came to him the world around him bust to life. A cacophony of color and sound raced around him solidifying in front of him into what resembled a large television screen . The images on the screen were blurred at first but quickly fell into focus.

Him waking to see the moon high in the sky. He was being held up with a levitation charm.

Lupin muzzle pulled back across razor sharp teeth, foaming at the mouth and charging toward him.

He saw himself, another him, release the levitation charm and jump in front of Potter and his cohorts. Saw Pettigrew transform and Black follow as Severus fought off the crazed Lupin until he too went after the rat. He watched Potter run after the trio, _'All four Marauders under the moonlight once again.'_ only to begin trembling with a chill that was anything but natural and feeling the darkness pulling him back into unconsciousness.

Severus thought it strange that he appeared capable of feeling everything the him on the screen was experiencing while still being aware of the body he was in now. The dual sensations and emotions were confusing and had him wondering if he was in fact exactly where the screen image showed him to be and the darkness surrounding him was only in his head.

The images started to speed past more rapidly, Potter refusing to talk to him, Dumbledore's doing no doubt. Black's mysterious escape. hearing that Potter deflected over a hundred Dementors to save his Godfather, this had made Dumbledore angry for some reason. Draco telling the whole school of Lupin's werewolf status followed by the man's retirement. It was painful when his screen self realized that not only Potter but everyone who had been at the shack that night had been obliviated and believed it his fault that everything went wrong. _'Damn that Dumbledore!'_

the screen went dark momentarily and with the darkness came an unbearable pain followed by a flood of memories as though he had already lived those weeks of his life. _'Can they really be considered memories if I don't believe they have happened yet?'_

The colors came back; this time the first thing he saw was a flaming goblet set on a pedestal in the center of the great hall."The Goblet of Fire." he said aloud the strange echo sounding again. He recalled a staff meeting during which the Headmaster had mentioned that they would be hosting the Triwizard Tournament the following year. The scenes or memories, whatever they were rushed by too fast for him to see, but he sensed that something very wrong had happened.

When the images slowed again he was staring down at his arm in horror as the once faded Dark Mark blazed back to life and seared into his skin. Severus felt the pain mirrored in his own body twice over and looked down in equal horror as the Dark Mark glowed a malevolent red before darkening to a heart-stopping black. _'He's Back.'_ Severus searched the impenetrable darkness expecting the Dark Lord to suddenly appear a Crucio at the ready.

But no Dark Lord appeared so he returned his attention to the screen where his future self thrust his uncovered arm under the nose of the Minister of Magic while arguing near an unconscious and injured Potter. His future self was trying to convince the buffoon that the Dark Lord had returned and the Wizarding World was once again in danger. Another lull in the images had Severus prepared this time as a second flood of memories hit him almost as painfully as the first.

Severus was panting in pain when the images continued. His future self, because he was sure now that, that was who he was seeing on the screen, entered an old and decrepit house in Central London. The entryway was dark and looked to be covered in several decades of grime, it lead to a dusty hallway where the stuffed heads of house-elves hung on the wall like trophies and the portrait of an elderly woman screamed obscenities and preached pure-blood superiority.

"Welcome, to the most _Noble_ and Ancient House of Black." Black said sarcastically from where he was seated at the head of a heavy, aged wooden table, his feet propped up casually and his arms crossed. _'No doubt he was obliviated as well.'_ Severus thought.

"Now that Severus has arrived, I now call this meeting of The Order of the Phoenix to order." Dumbledore announced from behind the Black heir. _'Arse-hole.'_ Severus griped as the scene shifted again.

His future self had cornered Black after the Order meeting. "What do you want Snape?" he sneered, leaning casually against an aging wall. "Black, what do you recall of the night Pettigrew escaped?"

Black confusion was obvious and his future self realized that Black's memories had been tampered with. "You burst into the shack and distracted us all, Harry and the kids stunned you, we started making our way back to Hogwarts but Remy transformed and we lost Pettigrew, uh me and Harry got cornered by Dementors, I woke up tied to a chair and then Harry and Hermione sneaked me out on Buckbeak." Severus sighed in resignation.

"Do you remember seeing Lupin transform?" he asked hoping against hope that Dumbledore had missed something. Black shook his head. "I was in front of him." he said though he sounded unsure.

Nodding his head in silent thanks future Severus turned to leave, but Black grabbed him and pulled him back. "What's going on Snape?" He said looking deeply unsettled, his future self simply shook his head and pushed Black away before walking out the door.

Severus knew if he informed Black of the true event of the shack Dumbledore might kill them both. The Severus watching wondered what happen after the time-turner exploded that would have allowed Dumbledore enough time to alter everyone's memories, he had a distinct impression he had actually been removed from the shack along with Black. Maybe it didn't happen that way to this future Severus.

The images began to speed up again slowing down to show his office at Hogwarts, where a scowling Potter slowly rose from the floor and his future self ordered "Again!" then whispered "Legitimens." and watched the boy crumble to the floor once again as images of the Department of Mysteries and an injured and dying Black flowed from the boys mind to his own.

His future self was casting every mind protection spell he could to protect Potter from the Dark Lords influence but knew that they wouldn't hold for long against the Dark Lord. He was no longer trusted by the boy and had to used these violent and underhanded methods to prepare Potter for his now inevitable meeting with the Dark Lord. His future self stopped casting and waited until Potter was up on his feet.

"Again!"

The memory changed again and Potter was now being restrained by Umbridge and desperately asking him, in code, _'Smart boy.'_ to check on the mutt and be sure he was still at home. He rushed to his rooms and flooed Black; telling him not to leave the house no matter what he hears. The images faltered momentarily and the space he was in felt as though the very air was vibrating.

The images solidified back at Grimmauld Place and Severus felt his stomach drop as Albus announced that Black had fallen through the veil. This was followed by another rush of memories, from his and Black's constant arguments, to that toad-bitch Umbridge, and the final conversation with Black where he said he had asked Dumbledore about his inconsistent memories. Severus didn't want to believe that Dumbledore would allow one of his _Golden Gryffindor_ to die but with this last set of memories he had no doubt.

Also amongst these new memories was his first meeting with the Dark Lord since the bastards revival and several more after. He finally met something solid as he fell to his knees on the invisible floor, an echo of the Cruciatus burning through his body. Even when not in the monsters presence he refused to cry out.

He felt rushing air at the nape of his neck and assumed to images were changing again as he caught his breath and the last tremors of the Cruciatus faded from his limbs. Perhaps this was Hell and he was being shown that he would have screwed up his life even more had he lived.

When he looked up he saw his future self was also on his knees and holding the forearm of Narcissa Malfoy as Bellatrix Lestrange cast the Unbreakable Vow that would ensure the protection of Lucius and Narcissa's son Draco as he completed a mission for the Dark Lord. It also ensured that should Draco fail Severus would complete the mission himself.

The next few scenes rushed by quickly but with purpose. Slughorn's warning about Horocruxes, Dumbledore's idiocy and impending death, the odd behavior of both Potter and Draco. The order from Dumbledore to end his life. Then the rushing collage finally slowed and future Severus was standing on the Astronomy Tower pointing his wand at Dumbledore and casing the Killing Curse blasting the old man off the ledge.

Severus felt lighter with the manipulative man's death _'Ding dong the wizards gone!'_ and sightly joyful as he watched his future self drag the terrified Draco outside the gates of Hogwarts and dissapperate. This time Severus was more than ready when the next years worth of memories rushed through him mind and settled as if they had always been there.

The next set of memories were difficult to watch as he saw himself sitting in the Headmasters office; only behind the desk rather than in front of it. After Dumbledore's death it was apparently too easy for the Dark Lord to gain control of the Ministry and Hogwarts. The future Severus spent every waking moment trying to keep his cover as a spy while protecting the students and teachers of Hogwarts and keep an eye on Potter who had not returned to Hogwarts. He was especially busy trying to save students from the Carrow siblings who had been brought into Hogwarts on the Dark Lords orders.

Being able to silence the voice of Dumbledore's portrait with a simple spell was the highlight of his year it seemed. But both he and his future self nearly retched as they learned that in order to kill the Dark Lord, Potter had to die.

The most shocking revelation came from one of his future self's many arguments with the portrait of Phineas Nigillus. Who revealed the truth behind a great many of Dumbledore's actions. The fact that Dumbledore was furiously banging on his portrait confirmed the truth of what Phineas said. When he stated that Dumbledore began to feel threatened as every generation bore more and more powerful half-bloods and muggles.

Severus was murderous and angry that he had already killed Dumbledore when he learned that it was Dumbledore that had steered a young Tom Riddle down the path of darkness in the hopes that he would destroy himself or be killed by dark wizard hunters. Instead he became even more powerful and Dumbledore started to panic.

Then Severus started school and the Headmaster realized that he had the potential to be as powerful as the Dark Lord, but because he was in Slytherin Dumbledore felt he couldn't use him to get rid of the Dark Lord and began to demoralize and discredit him amongst his peers, by allowing the Marauders to torture him and spread rumors about his non existent skills in the dark arts. Severus was sure Potter knew more dark spell than he did, but that didn't matter in the long run because he was a nobody and Potter was one of Dumbledore's _Golden Gryffindors_ and could do no wrong.

Phineas Gleefully told Severus how Dumbledore had never expected that Tom would recruit him instead if kill him. They both laughed as Phineas recounted the fit Dumbledore had thrown when he had learned that Severus was now the Dark Lords personal Potions Master.

But it was at this time that the prophecy emerged, Phineas said Dumbledore had been ecstatic thinking he could end Tom's reign, get Severus arrested and Kissed, and be able to _accidentally_ kill the young savior before he reached his majority.

The portrait hinted at other lives ruined by the wizard but never elaborated. Something that frustrated both Severus' "...But why kill Black? He was on the run he couldn't have defaced Dumbledore's image with out getting caught and he didn't even know what really happened." future Severus had asked Phineas after he was told that Black's death had been set-up by Dumbledore, no matter if he had dodged Bellatrix's curse he would still have died that night.

"The boy was asking too many questions and according to Albus Sirius he was unusually powerful for a Pure-blood; as was his brother Regulus. I believe Albus may have had a hand in that ones death as well." Severus had been sad to hear about Regulus' death, they had gotten on fairly well after Regulus had come clean about what had happened back in school.

Severus was still slightly resentful that he had lost him his best friend, but the fact that Lily had ended their friendship over one slip of the tongue had shown him that she had not felt as strongly about their friendship as he had.

The next scene that Severus saw had his blood running cold and his breath catching in his throat. He was standing alone in the Shrieking Shack and the Dark Lord suddenly appeared. Severus tried to give Potter, who was hiding in the shack, time to escape, but faster then lightning the Dark Lord's familiar Nagini lashed out and bit into the future Severus' neck.

Severus felt a cold burn start in his neck and put his hand there and felt hot sticky blood oozing between his fingers. The cold burn turned into a searing pain, as he heard his future self telling Potter to take his memories. He felt his vision graying as his future self died on the floor of the shack.

'Is this what will happen or did it already happen and this is the afterlife?' Severus thought, tears rolling down his face and blood continued to run through his fingers. The last set of memories hit him like a runaway freight train and he felt himself fly through the air then slamming into a wall, welcoming the true darkness that dragged him down into oblivion.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer:** I Don't Own It. JK Does. Really, She Does.

**Title:** Time and other Truths

**Summary:** In Which a Time-Turner Breaks and Life gets a little more interesting.

**Warnings:** AU/AR, MWPP Era, Vaguely Cannon, OOC Snape, Character Death, Bad Dumbly, Good Moody, Language.

**Chapter Notes: **In which there is another death.

**Author Notes:** Sorry about the long wait a lingering cold and new years apathy had me hiding away from any sort of writer-ly pursuits and anything even mildly productive. I feel like I didn't write enough about Snapes other life leading up to his death after writing Sirius part.

**Key**

Speech: "You're my best friend notepad"

Spells: Stupefy

Thought: 'notepad hates me'

SFX: *BOOM*

Writing: =Once upon a time...=

Memory: _~ because notepad is bratty ~_

_

* * *

_

Sirius yelped as his body was dipped into what he thought was the black lake, but as his eyes shot open all he could see was darkness. His limbs tingled with a numbing sort of pain that he tried to ignore as he looked around him and saw nothing. He knelt down and touched the floor only to have his hand go straight though it, an icy chill running up his spine.

A low glow appeared in front of him coalescing into a large rectangle that sat at eye level. The glow resembled the muggle tee-bee that Lily had bought when she and James had moved in together and when the glow began to gain color and movement Sirius wondered if there were tee-bee's in heaven. Because he really liked that American football he and the rest of the Marauder's had seen on it before Peter accidental cursed the thing into chasing James around the flat and barking like a dog. It had never worked right after that and Lily refused to buy a new one.

The images in front of him began to solidify and he saw he and Snape with the time-turner then the image fogged and suddenly he was walking with Harry down the tunnel and out of the shack. He was levitating an unconscious Snape and Remus was levitating Peter. _'But wait! Didn't Remus already transform by this point?'_

Sirius couldn't understand what was going on until he spotted Albus in the shadows of Hogwarts entry way. The man had the same smug look as when he had obliviated Harry. Sirius thought he must have been obliviated again. He quickly disregarded that thought as he could still remember speaking with Snape and seeing Remus transform as well as the battle with the headmaster.

the other Sirius didn't notice the Headmaster and as a howl tore through the air his Godson cried out in anger and shock as Peter transformed into his animagus form and disappeared into the Forbidden Forest.

Sirius felt another set of thoughts and memories press upon his own; thoughts that must have been those of the Sirius on the screen screaming at him to give chase to the rat while the Sirius trapped in darkness wondered why the other Sirius didn't seem to have the same recollection of events as he did.

Other Sirius had a moment of indecision when Mooney bounded towards the group. Should he stop Mooney or go after Peter? He was surprised though when Snape jumped in front of the children and threw as many non deadly hexes as he could to drive the werewolf back. He figured Snape would protect the kids and deal with Remus, hopefully without killing him or permanently disabling the man. So decision made he transformed into Padfoot and ran after the cowardly traitor navigating the forest with years worth of ease.

After a few minutes he could smell Harry following behind him and slowed so that the boy would not become lost if he got too far ahead. The rats smell was already beginning to fade but other Sirius would not give up. he could feel the others thoughts at the edge of his perception and knew when Mooney had joined the chase.

Other Sirius froze beside a large lake deep in the forest where he remembered swimming with the other Marauders during their school days. A horrible chill seeping into Sirius' body and turned his limbs into leaden weights. _'No. Why are they here now? I thought they couldn't get past the front gates!'_ Other Sirius' thoughts echoed back to him as a swarm of Dementors descended on the dog animagus who reverted back to his human form before collapsing.

Sirius tried to reach for the screen and help his other self but the image evaded his grasp like a mirage and the heavy feeling in his limbs increased. He watched in horror as Harry reached his unconscious body. "Run Harry! Run!" he shouted at the screen but to no effect. Harry stood rooted to the spot trembling as what looked like hundreds of Dementors surrounded them.

A shout from across the lake had Sirius squinting to make out if the person was friend or foe. He could not see anything or anyone moving on the other side of the water and thought he might have imagined the shout if not for the barely conscious Harry staring across the water as well.

A blinding light burst from the vicinity of the shout and raced across the water charging at the Dementors and driving them away from Harry and the other Sirius. As the light stopped moving Sirius realized it was a patronus and not just any patronus but a large stag that was now making it's way back across the water to the stranger.

Sirius choked on his breath for a moment as the figures face was illuminated. _'James?'_ but he knew before he even thought it that it couldn't be James. James' patronus took on the form of a Golden Snidget and the lenses of James' glasses were thinner. Then he saw the color of the strangers eyes. "Harry." he said watching as the stag faded away and the teen ran away from the scene.

He felt mildly dizzy, and reached up to rub the bridge of his nose but when a furry paw appeared in front of him rather than a hand he realized that he must have been feeling the effects of the Dementors and some how shifted into his animagus form. _'When did I transform? I didn't notice at all.'_ The scene changed and he was now watching his other self struggling against robes binding him to a chair. "Fetch a Dementor, we shall have the prisoner kissed now." said a man Sirius only vaguely recalled had worked at the ministry when he had been an Auror.

Other Sirius fought and raged yelling himself raw but he didn't make a single sound. A silencing spell had obviously been placed on him by someone, but he continued on for several minutes. Sirius wondered why he was seeing this and why it was different from what he remembered before disappearing from the shack.

His attention returned to the screen as other Sirius stilled at a strange flapping noise coming from the window behind him. Sirius mentally cheered, barking and howling in the darkness, when Harry and Hermione cautiously opened the window and released the bonds holding other Sirius to the chair. He watched his other self fly off on the back of a hippogriff and felt as if the world was being turned on its head.

The thoughts and memories that had been lightly pushing against his own now slammed into him making him feel as though he had just wrestled a giant and lost. The different memories were hard to reconcile with one another one saying he had fought Albus alongside Remus and Snape and the other saying that Albus had helped orchestrate his escape from the Dementors Kiss, but the fact that Peter had escaped and he was still a wanted man had not changed. Wheezing and coughing in the darkness he realized he was once again human, but the other Sirius was now in canine form.

He was surprised to see his dog form trotting thru a bright and tropical-looking town, barking happily every time someone would throw him a scrap of food. According to other Sirius' memories he was in hiding at on of Albus' safe-houses and was not to contact Harry under any circumstance. Of course he did anyway always using new and more colorful birds.

Sirius was disgusted at the blind trust his other self was giving Albus but he supposed if he hadn't seen what he had seen and hear what he had hear he would still be devoted to Albus. The images began moving more quickly days and weeks of the same thing, then other Sirius received a letter and a newspaper clipping proclaiming Harry the fourth Triwizard Champion, the boy was to compete with children with 2 or more years more education and skill than he had.

He didn't know who sent the letter but the spidery handwriting was unsettlingly familiar. _'I guess I have stolen the gits homework often enough to recognize his handwriting...'_ Other Sirius slowly and careful began his trek back to England, writing Harry often and even breaking into and old wizards house to use the floo and try and give Harry some advice on the first task.

His other self stole newspapers and listened in to the wizard wireless when Harry completed the second task. Sirius cured his other self when he had angrily told Harry he wasn't like his father; Harry was a good kid and Sirius knew even if he wouldn't admit it to anyone that he and James were horrible prats as children and their behavior should not be emulated.

Other Sirius had been staying with Remus for a few days in a muggle flat outside of London when they learned that Harry had been portkeyed out of Hogwarts then returned heavily injured clutching the body of his dead classmate and screaming that the Dark Lord had risen again. Both had quickly made their way to Scotland and further learned that Barty Crouch Jr. had been impersonating Alastor Moody and had tried to kill Harry.

Remus and other Sirius in dog form visited Harry in the hospital wing and where told of the battle at the graveyard and Barty Crouch's manipulations to get Harry through the Triwizard Tournament and into Voldemort's hands. They had to leave quickly afterward as Harry feigned sleep when the Minister of Magic and an angry Snape entered the room arguing.

The images began to speed up and Sirius felt like he was stuck spinning thru an Express Floo Network channel. More memories bombarded him, this time settling more smoothly now that there were no contradiction ones. Dizzy once again and feeling the numbing pain in his limbs increase Sirius saw that the images had slowed again and he was now sitting at a muggle cafe in London under a glamor.

Other Sirius sat contentedly enjoying his hot tea and warm cakes that was until Dumbledore casually sat beside him. _'Bastard.'_ "Sirius I have a favor to ask you." The Sirius at the cafe looked around quickly to be sure no one had looked their way while Sirius sat in the darkness and raged at the man who had betrayed his trust. "What is it Albus? After almost letting me get Kissed, what do you want now?"

Albus made a calculated look of disappointment that other Sirius wouldn't even think to notice and looked down at the table "I see. I'm sorry you see things that way my boy. I was hoping we could use Grimmauld Place as headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix. That way we could guard Harry better, maybe make it so he can spend his summers there... but that is alright, I'm sure Molly and Arthur wouldn't mind helping me with this..."

Sirius watched in anger as his other self latched on to the idea of having Harry nearby and answered without thought. "I'll do it!" Sirius smacked his face with his palm _'I can't believe Snape was right, I am an imbecile."_ this time the images didn't speed past but he felt his stomach flip and his head pound as the screen fogged again. He put his head between his knees and took a few steadying breaths before he could look up again.

Now he watched his other self welcome a tired and wet Harry to #12 Grimmauld Place and gritted his teeth as other Sirius argued with Albus about how much information Harry deserved to know; which was everything as far as both Sirius' were concerned.

He got unsteadily to his feet and began to pace the uncompromising darkness when he felt the restless anxiety of trading one prison for another leaking from the other Sirius' mind, especially after his year of freedom in the Adriatic.

Sirius growled at his helplessness as his other self explained to Harry that he couldn't leave the house for safety reasons and Harry told him about the strange dreams and nightmares he had begun to have. Sirius stopped in his pacing and was shocked at the stupidity of his other self as he told Albus about Harry's dreams and completely missed the look of fevered glee flashing across Albus' face.

After that it was nothing but him sitting in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place drinking Fire Whiskey or yelling at Kretcher or both. His other self also spent days staring longingly out the window and crying. His other self was despondently feeding Buckbeak when an odd memory filtered to him it was of Snape questioning him about the night Peter escaped and bringing up inconsistent details his other self had not even noticed he had missed. It had Sirius and his other self on guard at the skittishness of the always unflappable man.

It was then that another memory started. He was sure now, that that is what he was seeing. Memories of a future self that hadn't been. Because the is no way, obliviation or not that he would ever trust Albus again. Now though he saw that the other Sirius might not have been as trusting as he let on as he relentlessly questioned Albus about the night of Peter's escape and also the fact that he was never given a trial despite the fact that Albus had to have known who the Secret-Keeper was if he had been the one to set up the Fidelius Charm.

A bright flash of green brought on the next memory as future Sirius was squatting in front of the fire as Snape ordered him not to leave the house no matter what he hears. The memory seemed to speed up then, until several order members burst thru the door. Once everyone was gathered around the kitchen table The briefing began.

"Harry Potter and several of his classmates have left Hogwarts and sneaked into the Department of Mysteries. Several Death-Eaters were sighted following them in. It is believed that He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named is with them." Alastor Moody delivered gruffly. "Black, you stay here. The rest of you lot come with me."

Alastor limped into the entrance hall and held out a wilted rose to the other order members. Sirius cheered as his other self grabbed the rose at the last second and followed the rest of the order into the Department of Mysteries but almost immediately deflated as he though of all the problem his rushing in head first had already caused.

This memory came in sharp and chaotic as other Sirius began to engage Death-Eaters in the large atrium they had portkeyed into. The other him laughed and shouted with joy, happy that he now felt usefully in the war against Voldemort.

Sirius could now see why this had been a bad idea. Having to watch himself run around in almost childish delight he understood why so many people chastised him for his Gryffindorish tendencies. He also felt a sharp stab of guilt, he had not made Snape's life easy just because the young Slytherin had been able to accept the parts of his personality that Sirius had never been able to accept in himself.

And when he came face to face with his 'dear cousin Bella' he taunted and teased and danced his way across the atrium. Bellatrix followed after him shooting one deadly curse after another. The other him had now jumped up on a raised dais and called a taunt down at 'Bella' who turned abruptly and yelled and unknown spell which hit the other him directly over his heart and launched him into a covered archway.

Sirius let out a scream and collapsed on the ground clutching his chest and withering around in pain. The space he was in went dark once again and Sirius crawled to his feet clawing at his heart and stumbling around looking for a wall. _'No! What happened? Did the other me die? How could I die like that? What about Harry? He's all alone now. What was behind that archway?'_

It was becoming difficult to breath and Sirius fell to his hands and knees trying frantically to draw in air. He choked in a large breath and lost it quickly as a new rush of memories slammed into him with all the force of a charging dragon. _''This was all Dumbledore's fault.'_ He thought feeling himself fall thru the floor.

Sirius saw a flash of color moving towards him when he suddenly collided with the ground and started gratefully sucking in mouthfuls of air. "Siri you idiot what are you doing on the ground?" questioned a young voice near his ear. _'Who is that? They sound familiar.'_ His mind started to fade in and out as he tried to recall the name of the owner of the voice. _'Wait. It can't be! Was that...Regulus?'_ and just as the answer came to him he lost the fight with consciousness, his breathing relaxing into sleep.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer:** I Don't Own It. JK Does. Really, She Does.

**Title:** Time and other Truths

**Summary:** In Which a Time-Turner Breaks and Life gets a little more interesting.

**Warnings:** AU/AR, MWPP Era, Vaguely Cannon, OOC Snape, Character Death, Bad Dumbly, Good Moody, Language.

**Chapter Notes:** In which Severus awakens and meets a ghost from his past.

**Author Notes:**Thank you so so so soooo much to all my readers and reviewers. Not much to say this chapter other than it is the beginning of the AU part of the story sadly cannon HP-verse didn't last that long but mysteries abound in that next few chapters. =D

**Key**

Speech: "You're my best friend notepad"

Spells: Stupefy

Thought: _'notepad hates me'_

SFX: *BOOM*

Writing: =Once upon a time...=

Memory: ~ because notepad is bratty ~

_

* * *

_

'Oh gods, I'm still alive.'

thought Severus miserably, as the pain in his neck and the throbbing in his temples as well as the rest of his body, drew him away from the sweet oblivion of unconsciousness. "That's it Ryan, it's time to wake up now my little boy."Whispered a soothing female voice, while a hand pushed the hair from his face and set a cool rag against his brow.

Severus' breath caught in his throat and tears sprung to his eyes as he recognized the voice of the woman talking to him. _'Only one person has ever called me that.'_ "Mum?" He whimpered hoarsely and began to cough violently. A cloth was pushed into his hands and against his face as gentle hands pulled him up and supported him while he continued to cough painfully for a few minutes.

He pulled the cloth away and opened his eyes. Everything was blurred by tears but he could still see that there was a small spatter of blood on the cloth. He reached a hand up to his neck where Nagini had bit the other him only to feel bandages beneath his fingers. "Your father must have caught you with his belt buckle" his mother explained in answer to his blank look and questing hands on his neck.

"I came back from the grocers last night to see you slumped against your bedroom door, covered in blood. You gave me quite a scare Ryan. Normally you avoid your father better than that when he is in one of his moods." She sighed pulling him into a tight hug. Severus wiped his eyes free of tears and turned to look at the mother he had not seen since he was eleven.

Eileen Snape looked just as radiant as she had the last day he saw her. Long black hair curling every-which-way with shorter tendrils framing her face. The prominent Prince nose, complimenting instead of dominating her sharp angular features and her emerald green eyes shone with a light that not even his fathers violent nature could ever diminish.

No one, not even Lily ever knew the reason he thought so highly of her. When he had first met Lily the first thought he had was she was just like his mother, who had died not a week before he had started at Hogwarts. Not wanting to lose Lily in a similar manner, he tried to always be by her side and had always loved her as an older brother would love a cherished younger sister.

Severus reached up to touch his mother's face, sure that this was all some sort of cruel dream and all the same desperate for it to be real. When his hands meet warm flesh instead of open air more tears stung his eyes and ran down his face. "Mum, mum, mum." he cried over and over again, smothering his face in her floral blouse, breathing in her comforting sent and clinging to her desperately.

"There, there now Ryan, mum is right here. There is no need to cry child." As Severus felt the last of the shock leave his body his mothers words rather than comfort him, confused him. _'Was he dead after all? Was this the afterlife? If so why would on feel so much pain after death?' _And Severus would more than readily admit to still being in a large amount of pain.

He pulled away from his mother with a sniffle and looked down eyes bugging out of his head when he caught sight of his own hands lightly clutching the sides of his mother's now wrinkled and slightly damp blouse. Instead of his long scared and work worn hands the hands he saw were small, un-calloused and scar free. Thinking fast he pulled away with a jerk and ripped up the sleeve of his over sized sleep shirt.

He began to breath in short unsteady puffs as he looked at his pale unmarked forearm. _'The mark is gone.'_ He thought blankly, the insane desire to giggle hysterically bubbling up in his chest. The biggest mistake of his whole live had been undone and Severus didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "What's wrong Ryan? Did I miss one? I thought I finished healing every thing but your neck. Is your arm hurting you sweetie?"

"No mum, it was nothing." he lied his voice coming out like coarse gravel. He pulled his sleeve back down and scooted away from his mother. He remembered how tired she usually was after working all day at the factory and then coming home to finish all the household chores that Severus hadn't gotten to and finally fixing dinner before she was allowed to rest, adding healing Severus to that, and he already knew his answer. He was hurting but he would live.

She reached into her purse and produced a medium sized vial of milky white liquid. _'A healing draught? Did she have time to sneak off and get some after she got off work? I know father never let us use potions, especially one that is so expensive.'_ "Drink half and then go back to sleep." she ordered. Watching with a critical eye as he swallowed the bitter brew and handed it back with a grimace."Yehk."

"Here, drink this now sweetie." Eileen Snape said handing Severus a large glass of water. He held it in small awkward hands, _'I need to figure out what is going on.' _taking small sips until it was empty. Eileen took it from him and set it on the nightstand. She helped Severus lay back down on his pillow and pulled the blankets up to his chin. _'How long has it been since anyone actually wanted to take care of me when I was injured? How long has it been since I let someone?'_

"It's just past breakfast now, I'll wake you for lunch. Sleep well my little one." She said placing a kiss on his brow then walking slowly to the door, looking back every other step as if afraid he'd fade away. As she reached the door she looked back once more and lingered for several minutes before switching off the light and gently shutting the door.

When he heard his mother's footsteps fade away from the door he allowed himself the luxury of a moments more of panic. Before he started on the task of figuring out what the hell had just happened. 1. He was no longer in the shack, 2. He was alive (He hoped he was anyway.), 3. His mother was alive too, 4. He was in his bedroom at Spinners End, 5. He had all his memories up until the Time-Turner exploded, 6. He also had all the memories he had acquired in the Void, 7. He appeared to be younger than he was when he 'died' (Much younger.) and, he felt completely out of his league.

He reached up to where he felt Nagini's bite pulsing with pain and started to unwind the bandages from his neck. He jumped out of bed and walked on silent bare feet to the bedroom door. He peeked his head out of the doorway to be sure the coast was clear, and when he hear his mother's voice humming in the direction of the kitchen, he slipped out of the room and down the short hallway to quickly dart into the bathroom. Breathing a sigh of relief he quietly shut and locked the door then turned to the sink and mirror.

Severus glared petulantly at the sink's counter and the mirror beyond it, both too tall for him to reach on his own. _'Hm, let's see if my magic was '_sent back'_ as well.'_ he thought, concentrating on the wand-less flight spell he'd created and learned along with Lily when they were teens. Slowly he lifted off the ground and began to float steadily upward. When he was at eye level with the mirror the Slytherin smirked in triumph at his success and looked himself over to assess how far back he had been sent.

The smirk quickly fell away as Severus stared into the wide-eyes of a nine-year old him. As to how he knew he was nine-years old. There was a thin, pink, barely healed scar that went from his lower lip straight down to his chin from when his father had struck him with a switch after he had dropped a pitcher of lemonade on the kitchen floor.

Of course the fact that his father had tripped him was mentioned by no one. Both Severus and his mother had learned early on that NOTHING was ever the fault of Tobias Snape. From the almost red, and slightly scabbed look of the scar it had probably been close to a month since he had gotten it making the date somewhere in May, which made sense since that was when the Time-Turner had originally exploded.

Casting a wand-less time and date spell Severus almost dropped to the floor when the smokey green text spelled out, =May 8th , 1969, 9:45 AM=. He rubbed irritably at the healing scar feeling the itch caused by the healing draught working on his wounds. He hoped his father wouldn't notice as Tobias only ever let Eileen heal him when the injuries were life threatening or he didn't know it was there. Probably the only benefit of his over-sized clothing. It didn't matter either way though because both of them would be punished for the magic afterward.

The nine-year old Severus was nothing like the 33 year old Severus. He scowled at his reflection in the mirror upset to see that on his nine-year old face his chubby pink cheeks puffed out and his nose crinkled in a way that made him look constipated rather than angry. A twinge of pain in the side if his neck had him turning to the side to see two pale circular scars over his jugular.

_'Wow mum sure is good at healing spells! I never realized exactly how good she was.'_ He thought poking at the inflamed skin around his new scar. He brushed his thumb gently against one of the pale marks and pulled it away startled when a painful tingle zipped down his spine.

Severus wondered once again how he could have ended up back in time if that was indeed where he was. _'Could it have been the Time-Turner? But how could it send me so far back? That's impossible, isn't it?'_ And what of the life he had witnessed and remembered, but knew he hadn't lived. One of his hands unconsciously traveled back to his neck where he stopped himself before he got another zap of pain.

_'Perhaps it was a time-storm.'_ He had read about the dangers of unstable Sands of Time while studying for his Potions Mastery but thought it was just theory. Could the Time-Turner have tried to send him farther into the future than he actually existed and then flung him back when it could go no further? Could he have been set to his younger body when his older one died? He wasn't sure if that was even possible as he had disregarded the article after reading it to focus on the uses of stable Sands of Time.

"But that must be it!" He said in a voice that was no longer low and smooth but childish and high-pitched and slightly gravely from his throat wound. "This will take some getting used to." He said in a quiet whisper continuing to look at his reflection with a frown.

Severus was preparing to lower himself to the ground when his reflection began to waiver and ripple. His long straight hair became wavy and lightened to a russet brown, his dark eyes faded to a pale gray, and his nose shrinking becoming smaller and thinner. It was then that he realized that he was looking at the face of a young Sirius Black.

"Snape is that you? Great! I was hoping this would wor-" Severus was caught off guard by the random appearance and loud babbling of Sirius and quickly lost his concentration on the spell that was keeping him floating. He crashed to the ground with a floor shaking bang. "Bloody hell Black, you worthless mutt!" He shouted in surprise not catching the rest of Sirius' rambling. "-Snape?"

He started to pull himself up from the floor intent on giving Sirius a piece of his mind when he heard movement downstairs. "SEVERUS TOBIAS SNAPE! What, did you just say!" Shouted the angry voice of his mother as he heard her running up the stairs. She rattled the locked door before whispering a quiet alohamora and wrenched open the door. She looked from Severus on the floor to the confused boy in the mirror and muttered. "Bloody hell..."


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer:** I Don't Own It. JK Does. Really, She Does.

**Title:** Time and other Truths

**Summary:** In Which a Time-Turner Breaks and Life gets a little more interesting.

**Warnings:** AU/AR, MWPP Era, Vaguely Cannon, OOC Snape, Character Death, Bad Dumbly, Good Moody, Language.

**Chapter Notes:**In which Sirius proves he can grow up too.

**Author Notes:** Ok I am very curious, does my Sirius act like Sirius with a certain amount of maturity or is he OOC? Please let me know! Um there is a mention of underage drinking. And I'm soory this took so long to finish. Unfortunetly it was pure lazyness on my part.

**Key**

Speech: "You're my best friend notepad"  
Spells: Stupefy  
Thought: _'notepad hates me'  
_SFX: *BOOM*  
Writing: =Once upon a time...=  
Memory: ~ because notepad is bratty ~

* * *

The second time he woke up Sirius had completely forgotten about hearing his brother's voice. He felt strangely comfortable and thought he might be in Heaven when he opened his eyes. All around him all he could see was endless blue. He didn't shift his head and almost went back to sleep when a cool breeze ruffled his hair.

He was lying belly down, head turned to one side with dew wet grass clinging to his face and chilling his clothes. As he woke up further and began to shift he changed his mind. _'This is __so __not__ Heaven!'_ he thought. A burning pain in his chest forced him to roll onto his side and retch violently all over the grass in front of him. _'Ew carrots.'_

Now fully awake thanks to his empty stomach and burning throat he noticed more than just the sky and the grass (and the pain.). He saw a high vine covered wall and the tips of old chimney stacks behind it. An old Dogwood tree was growing where this wall met another and as he rolled away from the sight and smell of his own vomit he saw a sight he hoped he would never see again. _'Yup, I was right, not Heaven. This has got to be Hell.'_

There before his eyes in all it's horrific glory was Grimmauld Place. _'This must be the back yard.'_ He realized, having only ever seen it from the windows as a child and when he had returned after escaping from Azkaban, but by that time it was weed choked and half dead.

He had wanted to fix it up but he hadn't been allowed outside not even in the Fidelius protected yard. He had even tried to get Kretcher to clean it up a bit but the disgruntled house elf had been useless. Movement by the backdoor caught his attention and for an instant he entertained to thought that he had gotten drunk and wandered into the back yard and this was Harry or another Order member come to wake him up.

Instead a small boy with a head of shaggy brown hair, tightly wrapped in an emerald green robe, peeked out. He looked around cautiously before spotting Sirius and running up to him. The boy looked around again as if to be sure no one was watching before he sat down beside Sirius with a muted thump. Light gray met blue-gray and Sirius felt a shock of recognition, then then small boy spoke. "I can't believe you spent all night out here Siri! Mother is going to have a fit!" The boy said this almost gleefully, bouncing where he sat, whether it was because it would make their mother angry or that it would get Sirius in trouble, the stunned animagus wasn't sure.

"Regs?" He asked in confusion. _'Is that my voice!'_ He sat up quickly, ignoring the slight dizziness, and clutched his throat. "What's the matter with you? Swallow a bug?" Regulus asked with a smile. Sirius pulled his hands in front of himself and stared. _'These are little kid hands!'_ His mind shrieked.

Wild-eyed and breathing heavily he turned to Regulus. "Regs, what is today?"

"Uh...Sunday?"

"What's the date?"

"...The eighth?"

"Of what month DUMMY!" Sirius shouted a shrill note of hysteria making Regulus back up a step.

"Hey don't yell at me! I'm not the one who sneaked outside and passed out in the grass like an idiot!" Regulus yelled back his cheeks flushed with anger. "What'd you do, get into Father's Elf-Wine again?"

Sirius stopped himself from replying and instead took a couple of deep breaths in an effort to calm his nerves. Feeling a tad less hysterical Sirius noticed Regulus shoot the garden-facing windows and back-door a few worried glances. He began to feel slightly unsettled again when he saw Regulus fretfully scratching at his arms, a nervous habit he did not think his brother ever grew out of.

"What is it Regs?" He asked, sitting up to put a comforting hand on the small boys shoulder. Even knowing that his bother would one day denounce him and join Voldemort Sirius could not help but try and protect his little brother as he had always at least attempted to do.

"Maybe we should go inside, you know how mother gets when we go out." Regulus said fearfully, shrugging off Sirius' hand. Sirius turned to look at the vomit on the grass and cringed.

"Your right, lets get inside." He stood up then offered his hand to help Regulus stand only to have the boy stare at his hand in confusion before grabbing it and letting Sirius haul him up. "Come on Squirt let's finish this conversation in my room." he said, holding the door open for his little brother.

Regulus walked through the door with one eye-brow raised and a wary look on his face, that Sirius couldn't help but compare it to the look that Snape had given him when they had first met on the Hogwarts Express.

"Alright Siri, what do you want? Why are you talking to me and being nice? I thought you might have been a little hungover earlier but now your just being weird."

Sirius sighed remembering that, for him, being protective of his brother and being nice to him weren't always the same thing and that he did in fact spend most of their childhood snubbing and belittling his younger brother. _'Probably why he ended up in Slytherin.'_

"Well Squirt, I had a little dream while I was freezing my bollocks off out in the garden last night and I decided that the way I have been treating you is no good." At this Regulus shot him a disbelieving look. "So I'm gonna try to be a better big brother to you from now on." Sirius hoped that Regulus believed him because even though it had taken him close to thirty years more that ten of which were spent in the most horrific prison on the planet he really did realize that a lot of the things he had done and the way he treated those around him had been just as bad if not worse that what he had seen his own parents do.

"May"

"What?" Sirius asked as they began to ascend the stairs.

"The month, it's May...Do you need the year too or did the alcohol not melt all your brains?"

Sirius laughed and hit his brother lightly upside the head. "Nope all melted. You'd better tell me that too!" he joked stopping mid way up the first landing and staring at a blank space of wall. "Soon you will be gone again and this time I'll make sure your portrait never reaches a wall." he promised quietly to himself turning to stare in the direction of his mother's rooms.

Regulus was waiting at the top of the stairs trying and failing to mask his impatience. "You know, while you're at it Regs, why don't you tell me what time it is too." Sirius said after quickly jogging up the steps to catch up with his brother.

"Wow did you steal his Fire Whiskey too?" Regulus asked eyes round as he reached Sirius' bedroom door and turned to address him. "That must have been some dream." he finish in astonishment.

Sirius smirked. "You have no idea."

~TaoT~

A few moments later both boys were perched on the edge of Sirius' four-poster bed, legs dangling far from the ground. '_Man it sucks to be short again.'_ "So what year is it?" Sirius asked trying for cheerful and casual and grimacing when it came out more stressed out and fearful.

"Wait. You're serious?"

"Of course I am, you should know your own brothers name by now!" Sirius laughed, laughing harder when Regulus punched his shoulder lightly.

"That was stupid." Regulus answered back, amusement coloring his voice a wary half-smile on his face. Sirius realized that Regulus was still unsure of his sudden change of attitude and 'testing the waters' of this new found camaraderie. He ruffled the boys hair, delighted when the half-smile grew to a full on grin.

"It is currently 5:45am on Sunday May 8th in the year 1969." Regulus delivered like the weather-witch always did over the wireless.

"That was pretty good Regs, you should go out for radio or be a spokes-wizard when you finish Hogwarts." Sirius suggested, half joking and half serious. _'So I'm a nine-year old again. Bizarre.'_

As to why Sirius wasn't as shocked as he was sure he should be. He put that to the fact that he could in fact feel the last thrums of liquor and the impending headache that usually came with a heavy night of drinking.

_'How could this have happened?'_ He wondered dazedly. _'The last semi-normal thing I remember is catching Peter after that everything just seemed to go pear-shaped. _Sirius rubbed the bridge of his nose in frustration completely missing Regulus' inquiring look. '_And nothing got too strange until the bloody time-turner exploded or whatever inside the Shrieking Shack! I guess that is where I should start.'_

"So what'd you dream about?" Regulus asked.

His face displayed open curiosity and innocence, not an ounce of the calculation and distrust the boy had shown later in life.

"About growing up, I guess?" Sirius answered vaguely not yet ready to tell ANYONE what he thought had happened.

"That sounds boring!" The younger Black whined scrunching up his face in annoyance.

"Some of it was." Sirius agreed, thinking of his OWLs and NEWTs exams. _'Ugh! I have to take those again, don't I?'_ He realized in disgust.

"Tell me the interesting parts then." Regulus ordered, bouncing up and down on the bed like the rambunctious eight year old he was

"Sorry squirt not today, I have something to look up in the library." Sirius said lightly, jumping off the bed. Regulus' face fell in disappointment and his whole body appeared to droop. Immediately feeling guilty Sirius asked, "Did you want to come and help me?" in an effort to placate the now teary eyed boy.

"You really have changed * sniff * if you're actually going into a library _willingly_!" the boy sniffled once more then rubbed at his face and jumped off the bed. "I think I'll just go back to bed Siri, * hiccup * I only got up to see if you were still outside. Besides, * sniff * it's too early for books." Regulus said trying and failing to not sound disappointed.

Sirius ruffled his younger brother's hair like he remembered doing to Harry from time to time and was glad to see a small smile steal across the boys features. He walked his little brother to the bedroom door then said, "I'll tell you what squirt, how about after dinner I tell you a story, about these guys called The Marauders and all their awesome adventures? It even take's place at Hogwarts..." he relented, feeling he had to make up to the boy how he had treated him the last time.

"Really?" Cheered Regulus jumping up and down in place. _'Doesn't that make him dizzy at all, cause it sure is making my head spin.'_

"Yes, really. Now go to bed." Sirius ordered giving Regulus a light push down the hall in the direction of the boy's own room.

-TaoT-

Sirius had never been in his father's library prior to his escape from Azkaban, back then, well in his other life anyway, he had been told that over half the shelves had been emptied during a Ministry raid following Voldemort's defeat and his imprisonment. Now that he'd seen Dumbledore's true colors however, he wouldn't be surprised if the man had taken all the books himself.

Now though, every shelf as well as any flat surface available was crammed to the bursting with texts of light, dark, and benign subjects. The room felt cozy the air heavy with the smells of parchment, ink, and leather as well as a light odor of whiskey.

He skimmed a few book spines discovering to his delight that his father had grouped the books by subject matter. He moved to the section that contained dark magic, remembering from Auror Academy that time-turners were considered dark artifacts. (which was why they were monitored by the ministry) when he found a few titles that looked promising he grabbed them and brought them over to a rather empty section of a sofa and set them down on an empty corner of the nearby coffee table.

The first two books proved to be useless, only providing the basic information that he already knew. The third however, had an interesting section about a man who claimed to have broken his time-turner while setting it and claimed to have gone into the future until his apparent death, only to arrive fifteen minutes before he had broken the time-turner, with no time-turner, and no past self anywhere to be found. The entry went on to say, that due to the fact that there was no proof that the time-turner was broken, as it had disappeared, and that the gentleman in question was not dead, or in fact harmed at all, that the claim was false.

_'That sounds like what happened to us.'_ Thought Sirius, re-reading the entry and finding several more in the last two books he had collected. Unfortunately the most any of these other people claimed to have gone back was a few minutes to an hour max and he went back over twenty years. _'And what about Snape? He was wearing the chain too. Did the same thing happen to him?'_

"What's caught your interest there son?" Said a smooth, deep voice from over his shoulder. Sirius flinched, startled slamming the book shut and dropping it to the floor. "Now that's no way to treat a book." his father said reprovingly, stooping to lift the book off the floor and place it gently back on the pile.

"I'm sorry sir! I didn't mean to hurt anything!" Sirius shouted in a panic, jumping to his feet and backing towards the door. _'Shit! He's going to kill me! Dad loves his books more than anything, Probably even more than me and Regs.'_

"Calm down son, calm down. Come back over here and sit with me for a moment." His father coaxed patting the spot beside him on the sofa. Sirius moved slowly over towards his father and sat beside the man with a wary expression on his face. "Now why the panic son?" Orion asked softly.

Sirius flinched again when Orion started rubbing calming circles on his back. "You have just as much right to be in here as I do." Against his will Sirius relaxed a little under the soothing touch. "As the Black heir this will all be yours someday." More guilt assailed him._ 'I know Dad, I'm sorry, I've already lost half of it ... or I will.'_ Sirius thought dejectedly, his head hanging in shame. Sirius felt horrible now.

While he had always greatly feared his father he had also loved and respected the man even more, no matter what he said to anyone else and to see his father alive and well again after so long brought a sharp stab of pain to his already bruised heart. The smell of old books and wood smoke clung to the man who, in Sirius' other life, had spent more time with his books than with his children and died a less than natural death.

But, Orion Black, despite his flaws was a good man at heart, who sadly, due to familial obligations was required to marry the indomitable Wallaburga Black. Sirius knew, even with his fathers cold demeanor that he never begrudged or hated his children for anything, but Wallaburga was a different matter entirely.

She was the current head of the Black family and after their marriage Orion was directed to 'follow her lead' if he knew what was good for him and his children. Something Sirius had heard repeated to the man on numerous occasions by his uncle Cygnus.

Unfortunately that meant preaching or at least agreeing with her pure-blood ideals as well as warning their children away from muggles and 'their ways'. Wallaburga had tried to fill their heads with hatred for muggles, half-bloods and muggleborns for years though Sirius doubted even Regulus believed it as much as he pretended to.

When the silence began to feel uncomfortable Orion spoke again. "While I am glad you are finally taking an interest in this room, I have to ask. What are you doing in the library at 9am on a weekend?"

_'Wow it's been that long already? Three hour in a _Library_ Mooney would be in shock if he were here right now.'_

"Normally you take every opportunity available to avoid studying when the tutors are not here." Sirius swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat and said the first lie he could think of. Scratching his head and trying to look embarrassed Sirius answer

"I couldn't sleep anymore and I thought if I read something I would be able to get back to sleep! ...It always work when the History tutor is here." he finished petulantly glad that most of what he said was _technically_ true.

"Didn't work out quite the way you planned though, did it?" His father laughed eying his large pile of books.

"No it didn't" Sirius smiled answering back, glad to see hints of the man he remembered from his earliest childhood memories.

Orion rose gracefully and extended a hand to help Sirius up. "It's nearly breakfast time Siri let's get to the dining room before your mother makes the elves punish themselves again."

-TaoT-

"Sirius Orion Black! What are you wearing!" his mother screamed as he followed his father into the dining room. Both Orion and Regulus flinched at the sound of her voice, but Sirius who had had to deal with his mother's screaming portrait for the past three years merely looked confused.

"Um...clothes, mother." He answered in confusion, automatically looking down to see what was wrong with what he was wearing. He heard his brother and father both stifle a snort of amusement as he straightened out the robes he was wearing. (a smaller version of the prison robes he had been wearing in the shack.) _'Well there goes any doubts _I_ had.'_ he thought in bemusement and sat down at the table.

Wallaburga huffed, puffed, and basically looked affronted by Sirius' unconventional clothes through-out the entire meal, though she eventually settled down prior to leaving the table, But she still made an elf punish itself for Sirius' strange attire.

Sirius grimaced, a strong aversion to this particular elf made him falter at what he told himself he'd have to do. Eventually he did manage to go down to the kitchen and apologize to Kretcher for having to punish himself because of Sirius.

The elf, old even now seemed shocked for a moment before bursting into tears and telling Sirius what a kind master he was, 'Just like Master Regulus.' and asking if he would like a snack or anything else. Sirius kindly refused and retreated back to the relative safety of his rooms.

He quickly changed out of the old prison robes when he noticed the strong odor that was practically sewn into the fabric, and grabbed a set of comfortable muggle clothes his cousin Andromeda had sent him for Christmas to change into.

Feeling an odd weight in the filthy robes Sirius upended the robe over his bed to see what was inside. A galleon and a large feather landed on the plush comforter and Sirius had yet another piece of evidence that he really had seen his future.

He was now absolutely sure he knew what had happened and found himself glad that the life he once lived was no more. Now though he had to move on to the next piece of the puzzle. Where was Snape and did he remember his past life?...future life?...Well, did he remember knowing Sirius?

After that he could worry about everything else; what to do about Voldemort as well as ensuring that James and Lily marry so that Harry would still exist, how to save Regs' from himself and their mother.

Sirius paced his room and tried to think of a way to find Snape, he had thought, after reading those articles, that maybe Snape might be somewhere around the neighborhood since they were together when the time-turner broke but figured Snape would have made his presence known before now if he had been.

_'So if he isn't here, how do I find him?' _Sirius had to think of a way to contact Snape without knowing where he was, and so far he was coming up blank.

_'Owl him? No, I don't know where he lives, and mother's birds are brain-dead. Floo him? No, same problem just without the birds. What about a Patronus? Dammit, no. I haven't been able to conjure one since Azkaban. Hm, Talking portraits? Hell No! Our family lines have never crossed, thank Merlin! If only I still had those two-way mirrors...WAIT!'_

Sirius stopped his pacing and ran into his personal bathroom. He dug his fingers underneath a bit of loose floorboard and pulled away a small section of the board and setting it beside him. He reached into the hole that was revealed and pulled out a thin rectangular box.

The box was old, made from the very dogwood tree that grew in the back garden and it had only two words carved into it, _'Sirius Black'_. Inside the box was a thin polished strip of ebony with a delicate carving at the thicker end, it was the Black Family Crest.

This was a wand, and it had belonged to Sirius' great-great-grandfather after whom he was named. He had discovered this treasure by accident in this very spot 25 years from now, as odd as that sounded. He gingerly removed the wand from the box and gave it an experimental swish.

A small shower of violet sparks exploded from the tip and painted various bathroom fixtures with spots of vibrant color where the sparks landed. _'Che' still a bit too swishy.'_ he sighed remembering when the other him had blown a hole thru the bathroom wall into the hallway.

His family had yet to acquire the two-way mirrors that he had eventually shared with James and later Harry. But the other him had learned the spell to create them back at the Auror Academy and now that he had a wand he decided he was going to try and connect his bathroom mirror to the closest mirror to Snape's magical signature. _'Please don't let that joke_ _that James made about Snape not owning a mirror be true.'_

It was difficult to enchant one object, even harder yet to enchant a second through the first, especially when you're using an incompatible wand and don't even know what the other object looks like let alone where it is. Sirius just hoped he knew Snape's magical signature well enough to recognize it through a mirror. _'I should hope I do, after all the time the Marauders spent playing _Spot – the – Snivellus'.

Taking a deep breath Sirius began the incantation with almost violent jabbing and stabbing motions in the mirrors direction before staring intently at the reflective surface long strings of Latin now falling from his rapidly moving lips.

Slowly the mirror began to fog-over, Sirius' image fading from view and the glass began to glow with a soft blue light. The incantation was long and overly complicated, Sirius wanted to curse as he split his concentration between pushing the magic of his enchantment through the mirror and searching for Snape's unique signature amongst thousands of others. _'Found it!'_ A blurry image began to make itself known and the light faded as Sirius finished the incantation with a weak flourish. _'I need a nap.'_

Sirius stepped back as the image started to come into focus, first the dark wood of a door, that almost appeared black. Then pale cream walls that stood out in tasteful contrast, and last a small dark blur resolved itself into a rather curious and extremely young looking Snape.

"Snape! It's YOU! Great! I was hoping this would work. Do you remember me?..." Sirius stopped his excited babble as Snape disappeared from view with a crash that was quickly followed by the sound of running feet. "Snape?"

"Bloody hell Black, you worthless mutt!" Shouted a young voice from outside the mirror's view.

_'Yup. He remembers me.'_ Sirius thought sardonically. He prepared to tell _'Snivellus'_ not to swear, they were only nine after all, when some one beat him to it.

"SEVERUS TOBIAS SNAPE! What, did you just say?" the voice was female and decidedly angry, as well as right outside the door, which shook before being thrown open. A pretty yet homely older woman stepped into the room looking at something at her feet, _'Probably Snape.'_ and back at a nonplus feeling Sirius. "Bloody hell." she murmured, as if in agreement with Snape.


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer:** I Don't Own It. JK Does. Really, She Does.

**Title:** Time and other Truths

**Summary:** In Which a Time-Turner Breaks and Life gets a little more interesting.

**Warnings:** AU/AR, MWPP Era, Vaguely Cannon, OOC Snape, Character Death, Bad Dumbly, Good Moody, Language.

**Chapter Notes: **Introductions and Severus takes stock.

**Author Notes: **Hello folks it's been a while! ^_^ Um, Chapter 15 should be up fairly soon, I'm going to start putting the date and location at the beginning of the chapter and at every scene switch.

**Key**

Speech: "You're my best friend notepad"  
Spells: Stupefy  
Thought: _'notepad hates me'  
_SFX: *BOOM*  
Writing: =Once upon a time...=  
Memory: ~ because notepad is bratty ~

* * *

8 MAY 1969, SPINNERS END

"_Bloody hell..."_

Severus groaned in irritation as he looked from one wide-eyed face to the other. "Bla- Sirius," a disgusted shiver ran down Severus' back. "this is my mother Eileen Snape. Mum this... dunderhead is..." this time Severus was sure he almost vomited. "_MY FRIEND,_ Sirius Black."

Severus watched as Black was unable to hide a shudder of his own at the title of _Friend_. _'Serves him right.'_ He thought with a sniff. His mother's eyes widened even further at Black's surname.

"You're Wallaburga's spawn aren't you?" She said, narrowing her eyes in distrust.

"Unfortunately." Black replied with a scowl. This though seemed to make all the difference with Eileen who smirked conspiratorially at the boy in the mirror.

"Sooo, what poor sod did they force into marrying her?" His mother asked sounding like a young school girl getting the latest gossip between classes, Merlin knew he had hear enough of them in his tenure as a Head of House.

Severus smiled at his mothers behavior though. She hadn't been this happy since Grandmother Prince had stop coming to visit. He could almost forgive Black for showing up unannounced, literally as the case maybe, if only because it made his mother smile.

But if his mother was that excited for news from the magical world, then his plans to change their future would be that much simpler to carry out. "My father is Orion Black." Sirius stated with pride, there was a challenging gleam in his eyes that just dared either one of us to say anything about it.

Severus thought back to the Sirius Black he knew in his past life and realized that while the man had always complained loudly about his mother, Severus had never heard a word any which way about the man's father. "Orion? Captain of the Gobbblestones Team at Hogwarts? Brainy and a little on the scrawny side?"

"Sounds about right." Black said, scratching his head in apparent confusion.

"He was in my year!" She squealed. _'Mum knew Black's father? Not all that surprising I suppose, but I thought Black parents were both fairly old. Madam Black was already 50 when Black was born if rumors are to be believed.'_

Black and his mother continued to discuss current wizarding affairs, going off topic from time to time to go in depth over who married who and who had what children. Both seemed almost starved for conversation and Severus had to remember that his mother had be out of contact with the wizarding world for several years and Black had been in solitary confinement in Azkaban for 12 years.

Severus turned away from the pair in guilt, feeling cruel and heartless for not even thinking of Black or even assuming the same thing had happened to him. _'Well thanks to my fellow Slytherin and the Marauders I've only had myself to worry about. I guess I'm going to have to learn to start caring about other people again...Ew caring about Black, gross! I think I just threw up in my mouth a little bit.'_

"-yan are you listening!" Severus' mother said loudly. He had been staring at his feet in deep thought and jumped a bit when he heard her shout. It still shocked him greatly to hear his mother speak to him and he wondered if he would ever be able to hear her voice again with out feeling the urge to cry.

"What was that Mum?" He replied tilting his head to the side quizzically.

"I was asking you how you and Mr. Black met." Severus looked up at the mirror in irritation so Eileen bent down to lift Severus into her arms so that he could be level with the mirror. 'Ryan?' Black mouthed While Severus' mother was looking away. Severus scowled in response but judging by Blacks red face and quick retreat from the mirror, the result probably resembled his previous attempt.

Sirius face returned to the mirror a little blotchy from laughing and fogged up the glass before writing 'I told her you told the story best, sorry.' The words were reversed in the mirror and Severus couldn't help but curse Blacks stupidity even as tried to make sense of what was written before it faded away.

"_Figures that dunderhead wouldn't think of an explanation, He's just all foolish bravery and rushing ahead like a typical Gryffindor!'_ "Well Ryan? How did it come to be that we have the Black Family Heir in our bathroom mirror?"

Severus took a deep breath and hoped Black had enough sense to agree with him. "B-Sirius and I met through a case of accidental magic a few weeks ago." Severus started trying to look like he felt guilty for keeping this from his mother. "At least that's what he said caused it when he popped up in my wardrobe mirror, but I saw him fling a wand away when the mirror cleared."

"Hey! I was only practicing! It was just an accident that it worked! See 'Accidental Magic' See!" Black argued with a grin. _'Good. It appears Black might have at least some Slytherin in him after all.'_

"ANYWAY!" Severus continued, getting into the story now. "He told me he was thinking of finding someone his own age to talk to so he thought if he could cast the... What was it you used again?" Severus asked, pretending he did not know which spell Black had used since he knew that none of his mother's books covered communication spells.

"Oh I found this awesome spell for making two-way mirrors in a book in my dads library and was practicing on this mirror." He said, tapping the mirror on his end. "I explained the spell to Sni-Sna-er-Severus and we think that when it couldn't find the second mirror to enchant it kinda went a bit crazy..." Said sheepishly.

"We think because he was thinking about trying to find someone to talk to that his magic went searching for someone whose age and magic was similar to him own. I keep telling him to owl me."

"Sorry I lost your address."

"Again! Seriously Sirius, where is your head!" Severus finished surprised to find that he enjoyed acting out this little farce with Black.

The sound of the front door hitting the wall downstairs caused all three occupants to freeze. "I think it's time for you to say goodbye to your friend Ryan." His mother whispered shakily.

"Black, my address is #6 Spinners End, Cokesworth, North England. Write it down this time." He growled out. Black nodded to show he had or would write it down.

"What's going on Snape?" Black asked attempting to look beyond the frame and see what was going on.

"Tobias is home." Severus stated flatly. He reached out of his mothers arm and tapped the glass of the mirror returning it to it's normal reflective surface with a bit of wandless magic. His mother merely raised an eyebrow at his display of controlled magic.

"Go to your room and put on some day clothes dear." Eileen said setting him back on the floor. "Keep your hair loose so he doesn't notice these." She continued, brushing her fingers lightly over his two new scar. He went stiff as he felt another unsettling shiver run down his spine.

"Yes mum."

"And try to make sure Mr. Black doesn't make anymore surprise visits to our mirrors. I'd hate to see what would happen if your father ever saw a face in the mirror that wasn't his own." She said almost jokingly.

Severus made a bee-line for his room as Eileen quickly descended the stairs to welcome her 'husband' home. Severus wanted to take his time getting dressed knowing that the less time Tobias had to see him the less time he would have to invent some sort of wrong doing that Severus supposedly did.

He looked around the space he was in with a small smile, his small room was just how he remembered it to be. A twin sized bed in the far left corner sat on a plain metal frame and stretched almost the full length of the wall, Beside it sat an unfinished oak nightstand. An average sized wardrobe was squeezed in on the right side of the room also in unfinished oak. A small window between the wardrobe and the bed was always half open and showed the very uninteresting brick wall of #7 Spinners End. The nearest wall had space enough for a desk, also in unfinished oak, and the door which when opened would hit the end of the wardrobe. His mother had told him that all the furniture in his room had been made by his father when the man had still been employed and had yet to start drinking heavily.

_'Home.' _He thought feeling strangely irritated._ 'Still doesn't feel like one.'_ He closed the door with a slam and hoped his father hear it. _'Screw discretion! Stage 1 of Operation Get Rid Of Tobias starts now!'_ Of course he had just made it up at that moment but he was a Slytherin and a Slytherin could always plan on the fly better than a Gryffindor and more meticulously than any Ravenclaw.

He stomped loudly across the floor and made sure to jump up and down over where he knew his father sat in the living room below. He opened his wardrobe and examined all the oversized clothes that had come from discount bins and his own parents and scowled at them. _'This won't do at all.'_ he thought he saw a black sleeve poking out between a large button down shirt in mustard yellow and a set of three sizes too large slacks.

Pulling it off the hanger he realized it was his old smock from Hogwarts shrunk down to his nine-year-old size. He found his white shirt still slightly stained pink with his blood and his trousers neatly folded away in a shelf. The robes he had been wearing had been shoved discreetly to the back of the wardrobe where Tobias wouldn't see them.

_'I'll wear that.'_ He decided, throwing the dark material onto his bed. He also selected a rather new looking blue t-shirt that he sometimes wore as a nightshirt and a set of black trousers that he had to belt up around his waist twice and roll at the ankles. _He looked at the smock in though put it away thinking, 'Just because I'm nine is no reason to be messy!'_

He laid the trouser and shirt on the floor side by side and concentrated the magic in his body into his hands before whispering a shrinking spell. When he thought the clothes would fit him as they should he slumped to the floor making sure to land with and extra loud thump. _'Thank Merlin under-aged magic can only be traced if a wand is used.'_

_'At least in unregistered households. The Ministry is and always has been full of buffoons.'_ He thought viciously. _'I'm going to have to be careful though, only two spells and I already feel exhausted. I'll have to build up my magical reserves all over again.'_

When he could get to his feet again he placed the sleep shirt he had been wearing, _'Mum must have changed my clothes while I was unconscious, how embarrassing!'_ into the dirty clothes basket underneath his bed. He quickly dressed in his now properly sized clothing throwing his black wizard robes over the outfit and turning sharply to go downstairs but the sound of glass knocking against glass had him digging through his pockets in excitement.

_'My Potions! They're still in here!'_ he thought gleefully. Running over to his desk, again making sure to stomp as hard as he could, he pulled open the bottom drawer reaching in to remove his old story books and setting them aside. He then placed two of his fingers into two small grooves on opposite end of the bottom paneling at the front of the drawer and pushed down hard.

Tobias had built a secret catch into the drawer and shown Severus how to open it when he was four. The man must have forgotten about it after all this time because he never checked the hidden drawer when he was drunk enough to trash the house looking for evidence of his and his mothers 'strangeness'.

The panel gave a snap and slid back revealing Severus' secret treasures. His mother's old gobblestones set she had given him for his birthday last year and the Prince family ring, which Tobias had forbidden him to wear. He took a moment to slip the ring onto his left index finger and cast a spell to make it invisible to muggles, Tobias would not deny him his birthright this time.

Beside that sat his mother's old potions textbooks all annotated by her, his charmed journal and quill along with his mother's magical camera, which he had used everyday when he went to Hogwarts, his mother's annotated Hogwarts: A History, much more interesting than the original as far as he was concerned, a glass cauldron that glowed with a blue light that he had used as a nightlight until his father had realized that it was not electric. I was one of the only new things he had ever received. His mothers much loved book, The Tales of Beetle Bard was barely visible in the pile, he might have been able to leave it out if not for the moving picture of a bard serenading a dragon that kept ruffling it's wings and re-lighting the bards campfire whenever it began to burn low.

A thin maroon box tucked snugly in the back of the drawer held a chewed up piece of gum tree wood, that had once been a 'My First Wand' toy, the box still flashed the disclaimer. ="My First Wand emits non-flammable, non-toxic, multicolored sparks when held by your child, great for learning coordination and teething infants. NOT A REAL WAND!"= and lastly the only thing he had ever received from his grandparents. It was a thick platinum bracelet emblazoned with the Prince family crest, and guaranteed to grow with the wearer. That he slipped on as well placing another spell on the bracelet to be sure Tobias never sees it.

Severus was too young to remember what his Prince grandparents had looked like before his father had forbidden them from ever seeing he or Eileen again, but that would all change soon. He moved all his treasures back as far as he could, casting a small expanding charm just to make sure everything would fit, then began to empty his pockets.

Sometimes Severus couldn't figure out how he always managed to collect so many things in his pockets, so far he had found a empty bag of licorice, three Chocolate Frogs, two lollies, some decidedly furry fudge, and a pack of cigarettes. _'Those aren't mine...ah! Confiscated them from Finnigan.'_ The next pocket had several Weasley Wizard Wheezes products including a wireless extendable ear _'Still in the testing phase, mind.'_, two vials of Instant Darkness, and something that smelled similar to marmite.

He paused for a time when the sound of yelling reached his ears and slowly counted backwards from ten, reaching negative thirty before he could continue. Next he found a portkey in the shape of a bottle-cap that he was almost sure would send him to a private room at the Hogs Head in Hogsmeade. Another pocket contained two notebooks, a muggle pen, his communication medallion for the Order of the Phoenix and a bag of catnip. _'I wonder if I could use this to communicate with Black? Blast! Albus wouldn't give him one!'_

A few bits of spare parchment, a handkerchief, some reading glasses, and his apparation license went into the enlarged drawer, followed by a wallet containing his muggle identification, a few English pounds and a recipe for carry-out Chinese food. Next came something he wished he would never see again, his Death Eater robes, folded and shrunken in his pocket along with a miniature mask. As much as he wanted to vanish the outfit something, maybe caution made him place them in the drawer.

Feeling decidedly lighter Severus still managed to find a set of car keys, he grinned wondering what his father would do if his prized truck suddenly went missing. Twenty various healing potions, including Nagini's anti-venom, _'Fat lot of good that did!'_ five lethal poisons of his own making and two bezoars later his hand came into contact with two surprising objects. _'My wand!' _He thought happily slipping it into the drawer so he would not be tempted to use it. The other thing he removed was a scrap of parchment he didn't know he had kept.


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer:** I Don't Own It. JK Does. Really, She Does.

**Title:** Time and other Truths

**Summary:** In Which a Time-Turner Breaks and Life gets a little more interesting.

**Warnings:** AU/AR, MWPP Era, Vaguely Cannon, OOC Snape, Character Death, Bad Dumbly, Good Moody, Language.

**Chapter Notes:**

**Author Notes:**

**Key**

Speech: "You're my best friend notepad"  
Spells: Stupefy  
Thought: _'notepad hates me'  
_SFX: *BOOM*  
Writing: =Once upon a time...=  
Memory: ~ because notepad is bratty ~

* * *

8 MAY 1969, SPINNERS END

"The Marauders Map." He said aloud, watching as even now small labeled dots scurrying around the 2-dimensional Hogwarts. He looked to his old rooms at Hogwarts to see a dot labeled Slughorn pace to and fro inside. _'Must have been a bad class.'_ he concluded, glad that he was now free of that obligation.

He moved his attention from the dungeons to the grounds and saw a larger dot labeled Hagrid emerge from the edge of the map which was labeled =Forbidden Forest (Unmappable)= then let his eyes lead him to the Headmasters tower where he had lived an entire year fighting against the Dark Lord and protecting Hogwarts as best he could in secret, where he now saw the dot labeled Albus Dumbledore and a red dot labeled Fawkes. _'The map even labels familiars?'_ He questioned mildly impressed.

As much as he wished he could smite the bloody Headmaster for all the strife he had caused in Severus' lifetime, he technically hadn't done any of it yet, but as he looked at the map he had to wonder. _'Is this the Hogwarts of now or the Hogwarts of then?'_

Severus scoured the map looking for any familiar names, realizing as he looked that he knew the names for very few of his former students, it took him almost twenty minutes during which he hear his father yelling again before he saw a dot labeled Frank Longbottom moving towards the green houses.

_'OK Frank was three years ahead of me and... so... was...' _"Ah-ha! There you are!" Severus said out loud focusing on a slow moving dot labeled Lucius Malfoy. _'So the map is showing the Hogwarts of now, because Lucius would never be caught dead anywhere near the Astronomy tower after what happen in fourth year. That was probably the only prank the Marauders pulled that I enjoyed.'_

The sound of booted feet stomping up the stairs prevented Severus from investigating the map further as he quickly threw the map into the drawer, pull the panel back into place, tossed his kids' books back inside the drawer and jumped up on his bed, trying to act casual.

"What in the hell is going on up here you little shit!" Was screamed only seconds before Tobias Snape threw open the bed room door, cursing again when the door bounced off the wardrobe and back towards him. Severus put on his best 'who me?' face and tried to look as innocent as possible.

"What do you mean, father?" He asked while his eyes went wide in apparent shock.

"Why the bloody hell are you stomping around up here like a rhinoceros you ruddy freak!" _'Repulsive Wanker.'_ He though back at his father.

"But Father, I've been sitting here the entire time?"

His father took in his relaxed posture not even noticing the robes and continued, "Are you doing magic again freak!" already he was moving towards Severus with his fist pulled back. Severus flinched in remembered pain. _'Stop!' _

Tobias froze mid swing eyes spinning madly around while his body remained utterly motionless. Severus slipped off the bed slowly, his eyes hard and focused on the frozen man in front of him. "You see what's happening here Tobias? This is what happens when you piss a wizard off."

The nine year old, couldn't believe he used accidental magic, he thought he was in control of it but it was becoming obvious that he had the magical core of a child, even if he had the knowledge of an adult.

He observed his father with a cold look, circling him lazily like a tiger circling it's prey. "What's going to happen now is I'm going to unfreeze you, and you, are going to go downstairs, thank mum for the lovely meal you probably swallowed down without even tasting, and then you are going to return to whatever hellhole you just crawled out of." Tobias' face was flushed with anger, his eyes blazing, promising death to all who got in his way, but Severus continued his easy pacing.

"Now it seems you may want to disagree with me, but I'll tell you this, if Mum ever learns about all the whores you've been sleeping around with, the drugs her hard earned money pays for or the fact that she entered into a _Muggle_ marriage contract, and not a Wizarding one, I'm sure by the fact that you always rub it in her face that you two are _married_ that you know the difference between the two. If I were to tell her we will both be gone so fast you won't even have time to blink."

Severus made it sound like he had known all along that his mother was not actually stuck in her marriage to Tobias like he had originally thought, _'Well at least now I don't have to find a way to kill the old bastard, no matter how much he deserves it.'_ And if he, accidentally of course, implied that that he would keep theses things a secret if Tobias left, well bully for him. Severus planned to tell his mother as soon as this bastard was out the door.

He almost wished he hadn't legitimized the man. His mind felt tainted now, dirtied by the perverse mind of the man in front of him. He heaved a sigh as quietly as he could, he was getting too tired to hold the spell. What with all of the high level wandless magic he had been using today he knew that if he didn't get Tobias to leave now he would have no way to defend himself.

He walked around the man to the open door and unfroze Tobias, watching as he crashed to the floor in front of the bed. Tobias scrambled to his feet and turned to glare contemptuously at his son. "I'll be going now." He said gruffly, shoving Severus into the hallway and fleeing downstairs. Severus heard the front door slam shut only seconds later.

_'You forgot to tell Mum thank you, arsehole.'_ Severus rubbed the back of his head were he had hit the hallway wall and skipped down the stairs. He turned to enter the kitchen and was met with his mother's concerned frown. "Are you okay Severus?" She asked looking around cautiously. "I heard a loud crash. Where is your father?"

"I'm fine Mum, father just tripped. He seemed in a rush and just left after yelling a bit." he lied, drawing her fully into the kitchen and sitting her down at the table. Then went about serving her fresh juice and a few of the roast beef sandwiches she had prepared for lunch. "Did you want any crisps mum?" he asked serving himself a single sandwich, juice, and a small amount of crisps.

"No thank you Ryan. Thank you for serving me." She said relaxing into her meal. They enjoyed a quiet lunch, where Severus discovered he was much hungrier than he thought and he and his mother managed to eat all of the sandwiches between them. Though it was more Severus than Eileen. They talked about what ever popped into their heads, spending most of the meal discussing a few of the places his mother had visited as a girl.

During their discussion Severus managed to learn that the date was May 8th 1969 and that if his memory was correct he had about two days until the day that he first introduced himself to Lily at the park down the road from Spinners End.

_'I guess I'll have to wait a little longer before I tell mum about Tobias.'_ He reluctantly decided. He didn't want to miss the chance to regain his best friend. This was a good thing in more that one way as far as Severus was concerned as he hadn't thought in his rush of adolescent rebellion of where he and his mother would stay once they left Spinners End.

A soft exhalation from Severus was the only sign of relief Severus expressed as he once again thanked Merlin that his mother for some odd reason never went through a wizarding marriage bond with Tobias and wouldn't be bonded to him until one of them died. _'Maybe she thought the vows were magically binding as well?'_ he thought looking over at his mother sitting across from him. _'Just a little while longer Mum.'_

"What did you say dear?"

"Oh, um, Mum may I borrow Solara so I can mail S-Sirius about the mirrors?" Severus was going to owl more than just Black but his mother didn't need to know that yet.

"Of course dear, Solara will be thrilled! She never has anything to do these days." Eileen practically bounced from the room. "I'll meet you in the attic Ryan." She said bounding up the stairs with more energy than he had seen from her in his whole life.

Severus flicked his hand at the table sending the dishes to the sink to wash themselves and the juice back to the refrigerator without a thought, cursing seconds later, when he had to lean his head against the table feeling the drain on his magic much more quickly and heavily than before. _'I just got to send those letters then I can rest.'_ he thought determinedly.

He ran up the stairs trying to ignore his exhaustion, grabbing a quill and some parchment from another of his desk drawers. He laughed silently remembering his mothers explanation of these objects to his father, quill = decoration and parchment = drawing paper, lastly grabbed a bottle of ink from the secret draw.

Juggling the items in his hand he made his way to his parents bedroom closet where the attic door was. "Ryan!" Was shouted down from the ceiling of the large closet. "Is that you?" there was a step ladder hanging down from the opening and Severus awkwardly began to climb it with his supplies.

"Yeah Mum it's me." he said when he peeked his head over the floor. His mother was sitting cross legged near the only window in the room. The walls were just tall enough that Severus didn't have to duck. He sat beside his mother while she pet her owl lovingly.

Solara was yet another part of her life that was taken from her. Tobias had tried for years to kill Solara and His mother had tried to set her free, but the stubborn owl took after her master and just roosted I a near by tree.

Solara was a beautiful golden yellow horned owl with a speckling of brown down her chest that his mother used to tell him were sun spots.

"Alright Ryan dear, I have to go back to work now, so be good and finish as many chores as you can and I will get the rest when I get home." She said kissing his forehead and retreating down the stairs._ 'Damn I forgot about my chores.'_ "Oh! After you send her off, don't forget to shut the window." She said popping her head back into the attic for a moment, probably remembering the time Tobias had gone up to close the window only to discover Solara hiding from the winter chill.

"YES MUM!" he shouted back at her, petting the owl until he heard the front door closing and locking. "Okay girl I've got a lot of work for you today, are you up for it?" Solara chirruped and nibbled the fingers petting her.

The first letter he wrote was to Black:

=Black,

Don't floo-call me. Owl me the incantation and trigger you used to enchant the mirrors and I'll do it myself. My mother says to be sure not to show up unannounced again. You shouldn't owl me after this either, Tobias isn't fond of magic.

S. Snape=

As an afterthought he wrote:

=P.S. You had food in your teeth.=

Childish, yes, but it would have to do for now. He set it aside and started on the next one. Like Black's letter it was short and to the point and Severus hoped desperately that Magnoc & Waters Wizarding Realty already existed.

It was a request for available wizarding homes in the London area and a price listing for those available today. If the company didn't exist Solara would return it but then he ran the risk of getting caught by Tobias if the man got home anytime soon or being questioned by his mother. _'Never deny a curious Slytherin the information they desire.'_ He thought with a rueful shake of his head.

The last letter would be the hardest to write and the most important as far as he was concerned. He had to find a way to word it that would appeal to the recipients better nature and guarantee their cooperation.

=Grandfather and Grandmother Prince,

We need your help...=

Severus had tried to make the letter to his grandparents as direct as possible, explaining Tobias' violent and controlling nature, his hatred of magic, the difference between a muggle marriage and a wizarding one and Eileen's own ignorance of that difference. Adding in that Tobias took and used all of Eileen's money, barely giving them enough to feed themselves.

He made sure he sounded like a nine-year-old who was scared for his exhausted and fearful mother, but also like the Slytherin he was. After he had finish his last letter and ensured that they were all dry he had rolled and sealed the letters before attaching them to Solarium's mail cord.

"Alright girl, this letter goes to a boy called Sirius Black, he lives at #12 Grimmauld Place, This one goes to either, Mr. Jeffery Magnoc or Mr. Hail Waters, at lot 15 in Diagon Alley, if you can't find them there bring the letter back here but don't deliver it to me until Tobias is gone, okay?" The bird bobbed her head in understanding.

"Good. Now the last letter goes to Prince Manor in South Wales. Give it to Mr. or Mrs. Prince, if they're not in leave it with a house elf, and if no one is there return it the same as the other. Have a Safe flight girl." He said as he launched her out the window shutting it softly behind her.

He sat looking out the window until he could no longer see her, thinking back sadly to the last time he had seen her. His mother had given Solara to him on his eleventh birthday and when he had returned home after his first year his father had somehow managed feed her poison. Lily had come to his door in tears saying Solara had just collapsed on her front lawn.

He shook off the tears that wanted to fall and gathered up his remaining supplies. Getting down the step ladder was decidedly easier this time and with a hard kick to the bottom of the ladder it folded up and away back into the ceiling. He returned his belongings back to their rightful places then went down stairs to see what miracles Tobias wanted preformed today.

The list was long and most of it should have been impossible for a nine-year old but Severus had been doing them since he was five. The list went from cleaning inside the house to mowing the lawn, and painting the fence, and ended with him fixing dinner. Not even his mother could have done everything or even half the list by herself.

Severus felt for his magic deep inside himself and decided he had just enough to safely do all the chores, magically of course, and put up an adequate notice-me-not charm over the house until everything was done.

He took the list back up stairs with him to his room and took a magic replenisher from his desk, there were only three so he would have to use them sparingly. He set the list and the replenisher on the night table while he took off his robe and set it over his desk chair.

From there he sat on his bed and pulled every bit of magic he would need to the surface and let it out a bit at a time to complete one task or another and tossed up the notice-me-not charm over the property. When he was done he was lying down on his side sweating and panting. _'That was harder that I __thought. I'm too used to doing everything with magic now.'_ He reached shaking fingers to grab the potion vial and drank it quickly, shoving it under his pillow before falling into an exhausted sleep. _'Coming back from the dead is tiring...'_

-TaoT-

He had only slept around two hours when he suddenly sat up, alert and completely awake. "Who's there?" He demanded in a sleep slurred voice, moving to turn on his bedside lamp. The room looked empty but he could sense another presence within it. "I demand you reveal yourself to me!" he commanded internally seething at the fact that his words didn't sound even remotely intimidating coming from a sleepy sounding nine-year-old. _'I can't wait for puberty.'_ he thought. He almost laughed aloud despite the as yet unknown threat, when he remembered going through puberty the first time and having to dodge Lily's 'Tickle-Attacks' whenever she wanted to hear his indignant squeaks.

While he stared around the room trying to shake off his sleep daze a small shape removed itself from the shadows of his wardrobe and bowed low to the confused boy. "Master Severus," it said straightening up. "Mistress Price sends her regards and asks if it might be appropriate to meet away from Snape Manor." The house elf began. "Mistress is not thinking it be safe to owl Mistress Eileen and Master Severus so she sends Bonnet." The small elf finished her explanation with pride. "Do yous remember Bonnet, Master Severus?" I's used to watch yous when Mistress Eileen would visit Prince Manor." Severus was floored, _'I've been inside Prince Manor?'_

"No, I'm sorry Bonnet, I don't remember you, I must have been very young the last time I was there, but it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Oh! Master Severus is too kind to such a lowly elf as I's, just like Mistress Eileen!" Bonnet wailed wiping her tears on a clean bit of the cloth wrapped around her waist.

"Now, now Bonnet don't cry!" Severus said, unable to deal with crying girls even house elf ones. Bonnet sniffled one last time and turned to Severus.

"Can young Master Severus and Mistress Eileen meet with my Mistress?" The little elf asked beginning to look wary.

"Yes we can, tell your Mistress we will meet her at the Leaky Cauldron on Thursday." Severus answered beginning to wonder at the elf's now skittish behavior. "Is something wrong?" Severus questioned in concern.

"Mistress says Bonnet must be wary of the muggle of Snape Manor." She answered shuddering in fear.

"Well he is not in today, so you have no need to worry." instead of relaxing the creature tensed even more.

"But there be's a muggle at the front door now!" Bonnet almost cried. A terrible crash echoed through the house.

"Go now!" He shouted. Bonnets eyes consumed her face widening with fear and with a quiet * POP * she was gone.

Severus cautiously moved to his door, feeling an old and familiar fear sink into his bones. He was not recovered enough to fight off his father, had the man returned. When he didn't hear any movement for a couple of minutes he opened the door and looked up and down the hall. _'Nothing.'_

He moved from his doorway to press up against the wall and slowly edged his way down the stairs. _'Nothing down here either.'_ he concluded moving on silent feet to the window beside the door. He pulled the curtains aside carefully, to see if anyone was on the porch. _'Nothing? So where did that crash come from and where is the muggle Bonnet sensed earlier?'_

A light scuffling noise started up in the shrubbery outside near the front walk and Severus threw open the front door hoping to catch the intruder unaware, but the front yard was completely empty except for a broken bottle and a pile of paperclips across the end of the walk.

Severus swept up the broken glass and paper clips slowly, his earlier adrenaline fading into a desperate need to sleep. When he was done he left a note for his mother, telling her to eat dinner without him and returned to bed, praying that Tobias wouldn't return anytime soon.


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer:** I Don't Own It. JK Does. Really, She Does.

**Title:** Time and other Truths

**Summary:** In Which a Time-Turner Breaks and Life gets a little more interesting.

**Warnings:** AU/AR, MWPP Era, Vaguely Cannon, OOC Snape, Character Death, Bad Dumbly, Good Moody, Language.

**Chapter Notes: **I whichSirius pays a visit to Spinners End and meets someone unexpected

**Author Notes: ***pretends she doesn't realize how long she's been gone*

**Key**

Speech: "You're my best friend notepad"

Spells: Stupefy

Thought: _'notepad hates me'_

SFX: *BOOM*

Writing: =Once upon a time...=

Memory: ~ because notepad is bratty ~

* * *

"What's going on Snape?"

"Tobias is home."

_'That little shit cut the connection!'_ grouched Sirius as his own refection stared back at him. _'And who is Tobias?'_ In frustration he sighed and pulled away from the mirror. _'Now I need a piece of parchment.' _Tucking his wand away in it's box and putting it back beneath the floor Sirius quickly noted down Snapes address on the edge of an old wizarding comic and hurried downstairs for lunch.

Lunch was blissfully uneventful, a small salad was served with soup and crackers. The three males of the Black household ate in a peaceable silence before retreating to their rooms and other pursuits no where near the lone female of the house.

Sirius was stopped by his brother before entering his room. The boy seemed unsure about what he wanted to say or do so Sirius waited patiently until his nine year old brain determined that _'30 seconds was WAY too long.' _"What do you want Squirt?" _'There. Maybe that will get him going, 'cause I kind of want to go jump on my bed now... am I regressing... probably not.'_

Regulus rolled his eyes and then proceeded to look up and down the hallway, apparently searching for eavesdroppers. "Who were you talking to in your bathroom this morning?" _'Damn.'_ Sirius internally swore as he remembered that his bathroom wall was shared by Regulus' bedroom. "Nobody." he shrugged. "Just myself you know." he continued nervously.

"DON'T LIE! I HEARD YOU!" Regulus shouted stomping his foot in anger. Orion peeked out of his bedroom and looked to be getting ready to ask what was going on so Sirius grabbed his loud mouthed little brother and dragged him into his room. He slammed the door shut, probably harder than necessary and ran for the bathroom. "HEY!" Shouted Regulus following after him. "Shh!" Sirius hissed back. "Wait a minute Regs." He quickly returned to his bothers side carrying Great-Grandpa Sirius' wand.

"YOU HAVE A-" Sirius growled as he threw a hand over the boys mouth and cast a one way silencing charm over the room. Then smirked as he removed his hand and stepped away from his red faced brother. "YOU HAVE A WAND! THAT'S NOT FAIR, DADDY SAID WE COULDN'T GET ONE UNTIL WE STARTED SCHOOL! WHY DO YOU HAVE ONE?! I WANT ONE TOO! I'M TELLING!"Sirius threw his hand back over Regulus' mouth and gave an irritated sigh. "Do you want me to obliviate you?" He asked waving the wand menacingly. Regulus gave a vehement shake of his head. "Are you going to keep yelling or are you going to let me explain?" Regulus shook his head again and when Sirius cocked an eyebrow he began to nod excitedly.

Sirius uncovered the boys mouth with apprehension. "So you have a wand now. Where did you get it? Does it actually work? Who WERE you talking to in your bathroom? It sounded like a lady. Was it a lady? Did you get the wand from her? Is the Ministry going to arrest you?" Sirius blinked and seriously considered putting his hand back to silence the excitable chatter. "Don't you need to breath or something?" he responded slowly shifting towards his bed and staring at his brother in slight fear. "What?" The little boy asked in confusion. "Where did all that come from?" he asked his normally silent and self contained brother.

"I was thinking about it at lunch. Because mother doesn't let anyone but family and tutors visit and that didn't sound like anyone I know so had to be accidental magic, right? Did you apperate her here? Was she surprised? Was it like that time you set the drapes on fire?" Sirius looked at his brother in awe, he didn't think the boy had spoken this much to him in his entire life. _'If I can help it you are going to make one great Ravenclaw or Gryffindor in a few years.'_

"Okay, one thing at a time, the wand," he paused twirling it between his fingers. " I found in the bathroom." he paused again pointing to the room behind them. "It belonged to Great-Grand Father Sirius, I was named after him; so I decided to keep it and no one knows I have it. Understand?" He finish with another raised eyebrow. It was kind of fun and he could now see why Snape was always doing it at Order meetings and basically whenever they spoke actually.

"But what about the Ministry? Won't they know?" asked Regulus, wringing his hands together as if waiting for Ministry Agents to charge into the room wands drawn. "They won't know anything, the Blacks have placed enough wards on the property over the years that even if you were to cast all three unforgivables one after the other they would never have a clue." Regulus looked at his older brother in adoration and Sirius felt his pride swell a bit at the thought that Regulus might actually look up to him.

"As for who I was talking to, it was my friend's *shudder* mum. She -"

"Is she pretty?"

"What?"

"Your friend's mum, is she pretty?"

"Uh, Yeah, I guess, can I finish now?" the younger boy nodded hopping up on Sirius' bed to hear the rest of the explanation. "...She walked in on our conversation, so he introduced us and we talked for a while-"

"Who is your friend? How did YOU make a friend? Do I know them? Where did you meet them?" Sirius gritted his teeth in anger and irritation. _'Temper, temper Black.'_ whispered his conscience but it sounded uncannily like older Snape's voice. Letting out a huff of air he answered as best he could. "You haven't meet him yet. His name is Severus Snape and... What wait!? What do you mean how did I make a friend? I can make friends!" Huffing again he calmed himself down and threw his brother a dirty look. "I met him at school- WHEN I ACCIDENTALLY CHARMED THE BATHROOM MIRROR." he shouted in a rush hoping his brother hadn't caught the slip. "It happened a few weeks ago. I normally put up a silencing charm but when his mum showed up I forgot." The lie was the best he could come up with and it fit with what Severus had told his mother.

Before Regulus could start his next line of questions he was interrupted by a *tap, tap, tap* from Sirius' bedroom window. "Look Siri it's an owl. A big one." Regulus cried darting behind Sirius' bed and sliding under it as Sirius went to open the window. He feed the large avian a few owl treats from the window sill, apologizing, because he was sure they were stale. Then carefully went to untie the letter attached to it's leg. As soon as the letter was free the owl launched from the window with a powerful beat of it's wings and was gone from sight before Sirius could even offer some water.

The letter was addressed to him, the writing spidery and close together. "Is it gone?" His brother squeaked now fully under the bed and as tempting as it was to tell his brother 'no.' he managed to control the urge and give him the all clear. "What's that?" He said pointing to the unopened letter in Sirius' hand. "It's a letter dummy." Regulus huffed and rolled his eyes "I know that! But who is it from?" Sirius thought the handwriting looked very vaguely familiar but he couldn't place it. "I'm not sure..." Scrutinizing the letter he wondered if he should cast a few detection charms at it. "Well are you going to open it or not?"

Should he open it? He had no clue who had sent this or what their intentions were. But as far as anyone here was concerned he was a mostly harmless nine year old so he doubted it was anything dangerous. Turning the letter over one more time to try and find some clue to it's origins he finally saw it. "SNAPE!" The wax seal bore a lone Raven sigil and the name Snape were depressed in the dark violet wax that sealed the letter. At his brothers confused look he clarified. "It's from my, friend." Sirius smile a little as he said it without shuddering this time. Sirius walked the letter over to his desk hoping Snape hadn't written anything about time travel and such that he would have to explain to his very curious little brother. _'but Snape was a spy, he will have coded anything peculiar.' _he thought, breaking the seal and unrolling it carefully.

He stared at it for a few moments, re-reading the short missive several times. Him face going from understanding, to worry, to annoyance. "Wanker." he finally decided to say. "What did it say?" Asked Regulus skipping around him as he tried to look at the letter over Sirius' shoulder. "That I still had breakfast in my teeth." he deadpanned. "That's all?" Regulus paused in confusion. "Yeah, he's nice like that." Sirius continued sarcastically. "So are you going to write him back?"

Sirius froze as he thought about that, he could send Snape the incantation, but he knew the man had never done well in charms, and that the enchantment worked better if both mirrors were spelled by the same person. The problem now, was that if he apperated there now (and he was positive he could) Regulus would either want to come along or sound the alarm that he was gone. "Okay Regs, how would you like to go on a secret mission with me?"

The boy looked like someone told him he had inherited a Gringotts vault full of Honeydukes candies. "Well?" he asked when it seemed that Regulus wasn't coming out of his daze anytime soon, pulling out several maps of England he had collected when they had been allowed to leave the house. "Yes! Yes! Oh Please, Yes!" the boy finally shouted jumping up and down and running in small circles. He 'ah-ha-ed' lightly when he located Spinners End and found a wooded area surrounding a park that was near enough to apperate to. _'I wouldn't be surprised if his animagi form turned out to be a small hyperactive dog.' _his thoughts sardonic, as he watched his little brother continue to run a small marathon in excitement.

"First we need disguises." Sirius said, enjoying making sneaking out of the house into a game. Regulus didn't need to know how dangerous their mother could truly be. He looked down at his muggle blue jeans, green t-shirt and sock clad feet. Then at his brothers formal robes and pressed suit pants. "Lets work on you first." he said tapping the old wand against his chin in thought. "don't move." he ordered walking around the now statue like Regulus. First he turned the pale purple dress shirt his brother was wearing into a plain t-shirt of the same color and turned the deep plum slacks into cloth shorts in the same color then he turned his brothers light gray robe into a light jacket and finally he changed Regulus' fancy dress boots into a pair of light gray tennis shoes."there, done." Sirius proclaimed proudly.

"I look like a muggle." the boy giggled turning in circles as he admired his transfigured clothes. Sirius went over to his wardrobe and removed a black robe and black boots, transfiguring them into a leather jacket and biker boots. He took a moment to sigh at his reflection. The bad boy impression he was going for just didn't translate well to his nine year old self. He thought about taking the wand but decided against it, as it could be tracked outside of Grimmauld Place. "Phase two is getting into the back yard undetected." he announced.

Getting outside, even to the backyard while their mother was awake could be near impossible, looking back at the bathroom where he had re-hidden his wand he wondered if the could try using a disillusionment charm. "Oh! I know how!" Regulus declared in triumph. Sirius looked at his brother, his confusion showing clear on his face. "Kretcher!" the little boy shouted firmly. Sirius' confusion only grew when seconds later the house elf popped into the room and bowed before Regulus. "What can Kretchers be doing for the kind master Regulus?"

"Can you take us to the garden without mother noticing, Kretcher? We are going on a secret mission!" Sirius slapped a hand over his face _'kids...'_ the house elf tossed what he must have thought was an unnoticeable glare at Sirius who tried his best not to show that he knew that the house elf probably thought he was corrupting his favorite 'Little Master'. "Won't Masters get in trouble?" the house elf asked. "Not if she doesn't see us." Sirius threw in trying to look as youthfully innocent and childish as Regulus looked. He didn't think he pulled it off but the elf just hummed under his breath and asked "Where will little Masters be going?"

"It's a secret!" snicked Regulus "Yeah, a secret in the garden." Added Sirius, who was starting to sweat and wonder why he trusted his little brother in the first place. The elf sighed out loud this time looking distinctly suffered upon. "Please don't wander too far little masters." Kretcher begged. Sirius chuckled uneasily and frowned with guilt when Kretcher lightly grabbed both Sirius' and Regulus' hands and with a heavy crack deposited them behind the Dogwood tree. "That was convenient," he muttered to himself. "good job Regs." Slapping the proud little boy on the back so that he stumbled a bit.

Since at this age neither one of them would have side along apperated Sirius felt he should give his brother a little bit of warning. "This next part might hurt a little bit or feel uncomfortable, but what ever you do; Don't. Let. Go." and as he finished he grabbed Regulus' hand and pulled his brother into his arms, hugging him tightly as he spun on the spot and disappeared from the back garden with a loud *crack*.

When they arrived they where in a heavily wooded area where roots and dry leaves covered the ground causing Regulus to trip and stumble into Sirius' chest causing him to hiss in pain. He rubbed his hand over the tender flesh and felt small tendrils of pain from where the other Sirius was struck but the curse that killed him. "Weird." he muttered pulling his hand away from where he wanted to knead his chest until the pain faded. Something told him that even if he rubbed the scar raw the pain would never fade. "Sorry, Are you okay?" Regulus whispered looking around in surprise. "Yeah just fine Squirt, Lets go." He answered messing up the boys hair and giving him a quick once over. "You did good kid." He said casually pushing the boy out in front of him and leading them out of the small forest.

When they emerged they found themselves in from of a large muggle park. Parents sat around on benches and a dozen or so children running around under and on several large metal structures. Sirius held Regulus' hand tightly and pulled him away from the park and in the direction he believed Snape's house to be in. After a few minutes they had left the park far behind and were walking quite aimlessly down a street with picturesque brick row houses that surrounded by white picket fences lined with flowers and yards covered in grass. _'Never would have figured Snape lived in a neighborhood like this.'_ Sirius shrugged and began to look for Spinners End.

Fifteen minutes later he felt utterly and completely lost and he didn't think he even knew the way back to the park. He stopped and looked around the identical row houses hoping to see someone from whom he could get directions. Feeling anxiety crawling up his spine he finally spotted two girls who looked about his age playing in their front yard. He quickly jogged up the street, Regulus trailing behind him and slowed as he approached the house. "Is this where your friend lives?" Regulus asked sounding tired. "Sorry Squirt, not just yet, I think I'm a little lost so I'm going to ask for directions." The little boy sighed releasing his hand that he hadn't even realized he was still holding and sat tiredly on the curb. He ruffled the boys hair again earning a small glare that had too much happiness in it to be believed and walked up to the two girls. "Hello?"

"What do you want?" Asked a long faced blonde girl whom Sirius found himself instantly disliking. "Shove off Tuney." shouted a young brunette and stuck out her hand. Up close he realized the girls hair was actually a deep red where as her sister 'Tuney' was a much lighter shade of red. "My name is Lily, what was it that you needed?" She asked eagerly. Sirius forgot to breath as he looked into distinctive shocking green eyes. _'Lily.'_ he mentally cried. _'What is she doing here?'_

Sirius reeled at seeing his best-friend's wife, the mother of his godson, standing in front of him in all her nine year old glory. She was wearing a light pink sundress and had her hair done up in two braids down her back. "Um, uh, um..." He could seem to get the words he needed to say or any words at all past the lump in his throat. He felt himself flush and continued to stutter. "Come here Lily! Get away from that strange boy!" Shouted the other girl from the now open front door. Sirius chanced a covert glance at his clothes, he didn't think he looked strange, but maybe this style wouldn't be common until he started attending Hogwarts? He threw a dirty look at the long faced girl hiding in the shadow of the entryway and turned back to Lily. "Lily was it?" He started, going for suave to try and make up for his embarrassing episode earlier. She nodded at him and smiled at him to continue. "I'm Sirius Black and I'm a little lost you see? Over there is my little brother and he is becoming quite cross with me. You wouldn't happen to know the way to Spinners End, would you?" He sent her a sheepish smile and pointed discreetly at Regulus who was now looking at the girls in curiosity.

"I'm sorry, but we just moved here recently and I'm not quite sure, but let me ask my Da." She smiled brightly and waved at Regulus as she turned and ran past the other girl and into the house. "Who is she?" whispered a voice behind him. He jumped a bit and turned to see Regulus had walked up and was now hiding behind him. "Her name is Lily and she's getting us directions to Snape's house." he said quietly, keeping a wary eye on who he now realized was Lily's older sister Petunia. Lily returned minutes later pulling a tall red-headed man behind her. "Da, this is Sirius and his brother they're trying to find a street called Spinners End, do you know where it is."

The man studied the two boys for a moment and asked "So what are two young men such as yourselves doing heading to Spinners End?" Sirius immediately wanted to get defensive but realized Lily's father was genuinely concerned for some reason. "My friend lived there and I said I would visit him today, but I got lost after we left the park." He tried to look desperate and in a hurry to get to his 'friends' house. The man looked only partially convinced and gave an uncertain look down the road before pointing in the direction they were already heading in and said "just keep heading towards those smokestacks over there by that factory and you can't miss it." He looked like he wanted to say more but held himself back as the two boys turned to leave. "Thank you sir." Sirius said, bowing to the man. "and thank you Lily, for all your help." he continued. "May we meet again." this time Regulus bowed with him. _'I know we will see one another again, but until then...'_ "SEE YOU LATER EVANS!" He shouted when they were further up the street. Lily looked surprised, then suspicious and Sirius laughed out loud. He could wait to see the face she'd make when the met on the Hogwarts Express.

They walked on for ten more minutes, the houses getting older and less cared for the further they went. Sirius shivered and pulled Regulus closer to his side as the serenity that had surrounded Lily's neighborhood fled completely and a sense of danger and despair filled the air. When they finally reached Spinners End they walked past a row of nearly identical worn down houses painted gray and black from the smoke of the nearby factory. One house near the middle looked a bit more like the brown of dark wood and looked much more cared for then the rest of the houses on the street and he stopped when he realized that, that had to be the original color of the surrounding houses as well.

He looked at the rusted brass number on the house he stopped in from of and made out a number eight then looked back at the house they had just passed and saw a slightly less green number nine. _'Right, two more houses then.'_ he thought to himself pulling Regulus in front of him and hugging the boy close. The neighborhood made his skin crawl and he felt like someone could snatch his brother away at any moment. When they where in front of number seven he pulled to a full stop seeing a man on the front steps of number six.

He was holding and empty bottle, and a set of keys in one had and a large muggle gun in the other. The only reason he even knew what a gun was , was because he had asked Lily what it was that the muggle Aurors were always pointing at them. Sirius immediately pushed Regulus down and behind a large shrubbery. "Don't move, and don't say a word." he whispered urgently "that muggle is a dangerous one. Stay. Here." Regulus nodded curling down as small as he could and looking up at Sirius with large terror filled eyes.

Sirius crept up to Snape's home, wandlessly casting an invisibility spell and easing his way up the walk to Snape's front door. The man at the door swayed dangerously and one strong whiff of him told Sirius exactly what was in that bottle. The man drunkenly tried to fit his key in the lock, only managing to drop said keys and continue to try to unlock the door with the bottle in his hands. "Ruddy little freak, telling me to get out, to say 'thank you' to that freak wife of mine, only good for money and making more of 'em little freaks." Sirius hissed in anger. _'This must be Tobias.'_ he snarled out loud when he concluded that Tobias must be Snape's father. "Bastard." he thought viciously.

"Who's der?" the man slurred. _'Shit! Did I say that out loud?'_ Sirius quickly backed off the porch and ran down the walk where with a sharp cry he tripped over his own feet and smashed into the ground. With his concentration broken the invisibility spell shattered and he froze when a voice that was too close for comfort said. "Well whudu we have 'ere? Another freak? Are you here to scheme with my little freak son? He's evil you know? All you freaks are... You all just need to die."

Tobias unsteadily raised his gun and aimed it at the terrified Sirius who was trying to scramble to his feet and run away at the same time, resulting in an awkward crab crawl that was getting him nowhere fast. He had just reached the road when Tobias cocked the gun and put his finger on the trigger. "NO. STOP!" yelled Regulus as he jumped in front of Sirius. "Get out of the way dummy! That thing can kill you!" Sirius shouted grabbing his brother and pushing him out of the way.

It all happened so fast after that. There was a loud crack like apparation and the sound of glass breaking then Sirius waited for the bullet to tear into his flesh, but when seconds continued to pass and nothing happened he opened his eyes, not even realizing he shut them to see Tobias being restrained by a large older wizard who looked and sounded surprisingly like the adult Snape had. "Well that was a fine bit of magic there young man." The gentleman directed at Regulus who was pale and shaking on the ground just behind his brother. "I did that?" he queried in a small voice looking at a pile of paper clips that had moments ago been a gun. Sirius also stared wonderingly at his brother's powerful bout of accidental magic. "If you will excuse us." the man announced dragging the struggling Tobias away before apparating with a near silent snap.

Sirius and Regulus stared at the spot the pair had vanished from until Sirius saw movement from inside the house. Not wanting to have to explain what happened to anyone at the moment, Sirius grabbed Regulus and threw both of them into the bush Regulus had hid behind earlier. At that point the front door flew open and a surprisingly normal looking Snape stepped out. He looked up and down the street seemingly looking for the cause of all the noise and finding none. Sirius put his hand over Regulus' mouth when Snape came down the the walk with a broom and dust pan. _'Why doesn't he just use magic?'_ He thought in frustration, completely forgetting that they were in a muggle neighborhood.

But when Snape moved closer Sirius noticed that the boy looked exhausted; his breathing was labored and he moved slowly like each movement took all the strength he had. With the sweeping done Snape heaved a sigh and returned to him home. It wasn't until a few minutes later when Sirius was sure he was no longer watching that Sirius released Regulus and helped him crawl from the shrubbery. "Was that your friend?" he asked, still looking a bit shell shocked. "Yes." Sirius answered drooping a bit. "but I'll just visit him tomorrow. He looked too tired to play today."

Regulus moved from foot to foot and seemed to be debating something. "Can I come back too?" he still looked spooked but having no one but tutors and family for company had Regulus desperate for any kind of social interaction. "We'll see." He said grabbing Regulus' shoulder and steering him back the way they had come. He could see the park from here so he knew he wouldn't get lost this time. "And where do you think you are going Gentlemen?"


End file.
